Werewolves of LA
by emerald sorceress
Summary: A.U. Everyone's a werewolf. Angel, Buffy and the rest of his pack are living in relative peace in LA until an old enemy from their past rises up...
1. Of Bad Beginnings

**Title: **Werewolves of L.A

**Feedback:** YES! Feedback and criticism (but only constructive) is welcomed and appreciated.

**Disclaimer:** None of it's mine except the storyline. If it were Angel wouldn't have left in the first place. This is therapy for me.

**Pairing:** B/A, minor use of other ships e.g. W/O, S/F

**Summary:** AU. What would life be like if Buffy had never been the slayer, Angel had never been a vampire and the Scoobies had never been just...well Scoobies? This an AU asking that question: what would life be like if the gang were werewolves instead?

* * *

Angel was annoyed.

Actually annoyed would be an understatement. Extremely hacked off would actually be a more accurate description of the way he was feeling at the moment. He paced his office floor liked a caged animal, growling under his breath, as he raked his hands through his thick, dark hair.

Ethan had sent his messenger, Whistler, to announce that the Clan would be coming in four days time.

He snarled.

No doubt he wanted to put him off his game, so that when Rupert arrived he would see that their leader was incapable of doing his duties properly and give Ethan the title of Clan chief. He would show him. Angel wasn't alpha male for nothing, and if he had to make arrangements for the packs to meet a month earlier than anticipated he would do it in style.

He stopped pacing and breathed in slowly.

He was calm.

Collected.

He opened his office door and walked past his secretary, grabbing his leather duster as he passed. He strode out of the building, his coat billowing in the wind, without a backwards glance.

Cordelia looked up from the computer on her desk and raised one perfectly manicured eyebrow. Strange. He never left without locking his door. She rose to close it, her heels clicking on the marble floor.

'What harm could there be if she took a quick peak inside?' she thought.

Peering inside her eyes roved over the various objects in his room. There were several pictures of what she assumed were his friends and family on his desk and on his wall was a calendar and what looked to be like an ancient tribal mask. Everything seemed to be in order- she knew her boss was a tidy person and his room was immaculate. She stepped back to close the door and fished through the chain of keys hanging at her waist for the key to lock the room. She finally procured the right one and slid it into the lock. With a satisfying click the door fastened and Cordelia walked back to her desk to finish off her work.

It was sheer good luck that she didn't notice the claw marks running all the way down the inside of the door.

* * *

When Angel arrived at the Hyperion it was strangely quiet.

Normally Spike and Faith would be antagonizing each other, while Willow would be 'making with the smooches' as she so aptly put it with Oz on the couch. Buffy would be downstairs in the basement, ruining another punching bag as she clawed it to death, whilst Dawn and Conner would be playing on the playstation. Xander would be in the kitchen – the whelp just couldn't stop eating. Angel pricked his ears listening for any sounds as to where anyone may be.

Then he heard it.

It sounded like a stampede as the whole of the pack rushed towards him yelping and shouting in greeting. To the causal observer it would just look like a group of close friends greeting one another, but it was the mark of greeting from one pack to its alpha. They moved past him, round him, touching him gently and then Angel found Buffy in front of him.

"Hi."

She nuzzled his neck as he wrapped his arms around her tightly. His mouth found hers and she melted against him, his teeth nipping her lips before soothing them with his tongue. He growled low in his throat, the sound vibrating against her chest, and she whimpered as he broke the kiss. Buffy moved a little away from him, as far as his embrace would allow, and it was only then that they noticed that the rest of the pack had slunk off quietly, leaving the couple alone.

She stroked his brow, smoothing away the lines of tension. "What's wrong?"

Angel said nothing for a moment and she watched as he debated inwardly how much to tell her. After a few moments he replied. "Ethan's bringing the Clan meeting forward."

A frown marred Buffy's pretty features. "A few days won't make much difference Angel," she said. "We can easily make arrangements..."

Angel smiled tightly. "He hasn't brought it forward a few days, my love… he's brought it forward four months."

"But that's in four days time!" Her eyes narrowed in anger. "He can't do that, it's right after the full moon and what with the change and all he knows you won't be able to get things ready in…oh."

She trailed off, Ethan's deliberate manipulation of the situation starting to sink in. A low snarl rippled from her chest. Ethan had planned it all perfectly to show that Angel was incapable of being Clan chief, so that he could claim the position himself.

She felt the beast within her stir and she tamped down on the urge to rip out Ethan's ribcage and wear it as a hat.

Angel leaned his forehead against hers and she knew he was trying to reign in _his_ beast.

At that moment Spike walked down the stairs and as one the couple turned to face him. It was an eerie sight, as two pairs of amber eyes glared at him and spoke as one.

"Pack meeting. Now."

* * *

The moon shone clearly in the night sky, yet it did not illuminate the men who were hidden deep within the network of bushes and trees surrounding the park in the middle of 47th Street. The crackle of a radio being turned on was the only noise that sounded from the foliage, and then the near silent whispers of a private conversation.

**...Commander Alpha Fox Bravo to Base Control. Come in...**

_Commander, this is Base Control. You have been debriefed on your mission. Are you now in the designated area?_

**...Affirmative Control. My team and I are ready to go...**

_Remember Commander, this is a recon mission, not search and destroy. We do not want another Walsh incident. The Hostiles are to be brought in without damage. We cannot test spoilt subjects._

**...Understood Control...**

There was a pregnant pause in the conversation as the Commander waited patiently for permission to carry out his duty.

_Control to Commander, permission has been granted; authorisation to execute Mission Lupa has been affirmed._

The Commander grinned, his white teeth contrasting starkly with his camouflaged green and brown skin.

**...Received and understood Control. Next communication at 0400 hours...**

_Commander?_

**...Yes Control?...**

_Good hunting._

**...Thank You. Commander Alpha Fox Bravo over and out...**

The night was once again silent as the radio was turned off. The inhabitants of Los Angeles remained slumbering in their beds as one squadron of highly armed and dangerous soldiers made their way noiselessly across the city in search of their chosen quarry.

And somewhere in the dark a wolf howled.

* * *

Willow was outlining what needed to be done to make everything ready for the arrival of the Clan, when Buffy lifted her head and scented the air. The pack immediately stopped trying to sort out their latest problem to watch their alpha.

"Something's wrong," Buffy frowned.

She removed herself from her curled position against Angel and moved cautiously downstairs to the lobby of the hotel, her mate following closely behind her. She padded quietly across the marble floor, making a detour to the weapons cabinet and pulling out a scimitar. The older members of the group moved cautiously behind her, while Xander, Conner and Dawn remained upstairs, anxiously peering through the banisters of the large staircase. Suddenly she darted towards the front door and abruptly pulled it open, her sword grasped tightly in her right hand.

There was nobody there.

She scanned outside, using her enhanced eyesight to see into the night and the light rain that was now falling.

Zilch.

Bemused, she turned back inside. "I swear there's something out there. My spidey sense suddenly went into overdrive."

Willow smiled sympathetically at her best friend.

"Maybe you're just tired. We're all a bit stressed with Ethan coming so soon, maybe you're just being…"

"Paranoid?" Buffy looked at the scimitar with a sheepish grin. "Yeah I guess you're right. I mean, I didn't see anything strange out there."

She walked back over to the weapons cabinet and put her weopan back in its place, the group wandering back upstairs to finish the meeting. Xander grinned at Buffy as she made her way upstairs.

"Getting paranoid in your old age?" he teased.

"Well someone has to act older than there shoe size," she commented dryly. "What were you doing up here with the kiddies Xand, babysitting?"

"Hey!" Dawn, Conner and Xander objected as one.

"You make us stay up here," pouted Dawn, folding her arms across her chest. "I'm sixteen for Moon's sake, I think I can handle a little fighting once in a while. I'm not helpless."

Conner agreed with her completely. "Yeah Dad," he whined at Angel. "You know I can fight, why do I have to stay up here?"

Faith laughed as she came up from behind them and she looked at Conner. "Someone needs to look after Xand." She laughed at Xander's expression, and patted his shoulder comfortingly. "Don't worry, it's really manly how you shriek an' all whenever we come up against something vaguely evil."

Xander glared at her. "I think you'll find it's more of a bellow."

Spike came up behind Faith and snaked his arms around her waist. "Well whatever it is, it really strikes fear into the heart of every demon we face. It just makes 'em so easy to take out when they're _laughing._"

Xander fumed. "Hey I can do quality violence too. Remember that…oh no that wasn't…there was that…no ... wait… no that wasn't me either." Faith just rolled her eyes and moved along the balcony to the meeting room with Spike.

Willow paused as she moved to go past Xander. "Don't worry Xand, you may not help with the fighting but you're like, snacks guy! You bring doughnuts and other goodies."

"Oh I'm so glad that I have such a vital role within the group!" He rolled his eyes sarcastically.

"Come on Xand," said Buffy, looping her arm through his as she started to follow Faith and Spike. "You _are_ important and you do have a role with us; just not with the fightin' thing so much."

He grudgingly accepted what she said. "All right," he said. "I suppose we'd better get back to whatever Will was explaining to us before."

He received a sharp smack on the back of his head in return from Willow. He turned round to face her. "Hey I was listening really, I just fell asle…" he ducked to avoid then oncoming swipe. "Just kidding Will."

Angel smirked at the pair, and then checked his watch. He turned to the others. "Come on guys, we really need to sort out what to do about the Clan, and trying to kill each other out here isn't helping."

Xander sighed in relief; he had just escaped having a major headache courtesy of Willow. "Hey," he said casually. "We finish this meeting and go to bed and it'll have been a month since anything evil walked through the hotel doors."

At that moment a bolt of lightning lit up the night sky, as rain began started to pour down in sheets outside. Xander looked up at the ceiling as if he could see the heavens through it, and then back at the accusing glares of the pack. "I've just jinxed us haven't I?"

Before a reply could be formed the doors of the hotel lobby were flung open and the group froze, staring at each other in horror as they wondered what new evil they would have to face. They turned to look over the banister.

A wet, bedraggled woman stood in the lobby, a puddle forming around her as she shook out her umbrella, which was in tatters. Her obviously expensive, long black Gucci coat was soaked but not ruined, unlike her shoes, which were now clutched in shaking hands. Only one heel remained, the other having snapped off, and was now peeking out of her coat pocket. Her thick dark hair was plastered to her face and her make up had run, as if she had cried tears of ink.

"Cordelia?" muttered Angel in confusion.

Buffy turned to glare at Xander. "What were you saying about evil?"

* * *

**PLEASE READ AND REVIEW THIS STORY!**

**Please R & R. Without your reviews I won't know what you think and I always love to hear your thoughts.**


	2. The Rescue Mission

**Feedback**: Duh! Feedback and criticism (but only constructive) is welcomed and appreciated.

**Disclaimer**: None of it's mine except the storyline. If it were Angel wouldn't have left Buffy in the first place. This is therapy for me.

**Rating**: Pg - 13, for violence

**Pairing**: B/A, minor use of other ships e.g. W/O, S/F  
**  
Summary**: AU. The whole gang are werewolves and living in L.A.

**Note to readers**: For timeline references the gang all went to Sunnydale High together. Buffy was never the Slayer and moved to Sunnydale because her Mom wanted to set up a new art gallery. Graduation day did happen but the present slayer Kendra took Buffy's place in the whole part. Her watcher is Merrick. The gang then all moved up to the Hyperion, which is where they've all been living since Graduation. Oh, and obviously Cordelia doesn't know they're werewolves.

-#-#-

Though they'd managed to calm Cordelia down and get her changed into some clothes of Buffy's, she was obviously still shaken. Her face was pale and round like moon and her hands, clutched around a steaming mug of coffee, were shaking.

"Now," said Angel kindly. "Can you tell us what happened Cordy?"

Cordelia looked up from her coffee mug to gaze at the people who were watching her with a mixture of sympathy and curiosity. They'd all been really nice to her, even Xander, who hadn't made a sarcastic comment once, even though she knew he'd been severely tempted. The gang hadn't changed much since High School, but she didn't recognise two of the faces that peered at her. In their early teens both had dark hair and strangely they reminded her of Angel and Buffy. Siblings perhaps? But they'd never mentioned anything about… well now was not the time to go into it. Everyone was watching her expectantly and she decided that she might as well get it all out.

"Well, after you left the office, I worked until about nine trying to rearrange your schedule for this week 'cos the Ferreaties called and wanted another meeting and you should try dealing with their PA, god she is such a …"

"Cordelia." Angel cut in sharply.

Xander hid a smirk. She had obviously been through something bad and yet she still managed to be the same old Cordelia. She actually had the grace to look slightly sheepish.

"Well anyway, I finished and I went to get in my car but the stupid thing wouldn't work, so I decided to walk home."

She paused and took a sip of her coffee trying to gather her thoughts.

"It was only a couple of blocks and I was about halfway there when I heard this kind of whimpering sound coming from this alley, and I thought it was a puppy or something. So I headed over and… and this great big dog thing came out from the shadows, with yellow eyes and its teeth were huge. It was snarling at me and I, I was so scared I think I screamed."

"And that's what made you run here?" Faith eyed her incredulously. "A large dog?"

Cordelia shook her head violently.

"No, what happened next made me run here. Some one must have heard me because all of a sudden I heard footsteps. Well the dog looks at me and I swear it was _scared_. It backed away into a corner behind a couple of dumpsters and before you can say good doggie I'm surrounded by soldiers, all pointing their guns at me. They pulled out this scanner thing like on star trek when they're doing a medical exam, not that I watch it cos I am not a trekkie, god forbid, just that when I was dating Xander, he used to go on about…" She caught Xander's glare.

"Anyway they finished doing whatever it was they were doing and just as suddenly as they came they were gone. I just wanted to get the hell out of there when the dog came round from the dumpster and it…it _spoke to me_ _in my head."_

The group looked at each other in alarm. If what Cordelia was saying was true then this 'dog' was infact a werewolf.

"What did it say Cordelia?" Asked Buffy urgently.

Cordelia looked at her strangely. "_Go find Angel quickly and tell him that the Initiative are back in town_. I got completely freaked out and then it kind of whimpered again and keeled over on its side. By this time I was practically hysterical and I ran all the way over to you guys."

Angel swore violently under his breath. "The colour Cordelia. What colour was it's coat?"

"Um, no don't tell me this one… black, coal black."

"Okay so that narrows its down," muttered Angel who hadn't even noticed he had started pacing. "Any distinguishing features?"

Cordelia stared at him in disbelief. "I was sorta preoccupied with staring at its teeth. If I'd have known you wanted personal details I would've invited it on a date!"

"Nice to have you back Queen C," said Xander.

Cordelia smiled sweetly at him, which was a lot scarier than most of the demons he'd seen put together. " Xander, I see you haven't changed much. By the way how is your pizza delivery career?"

"Cordelia, Xander, please!" Angel glared at them. "Are you _sure_ you can't remember anything?"

Cordelia racked her memory. "Oh, there was like this scar thing across its muzzle."

"Penn," said Faith sinking into a chair. Spike rubbed her shoulders comfortingly.

"It's alright luv. We'll find 'im." He looked up at Angel. "Right mate?"

Angel nodded and started organising everyone. "Xander get Cordy a room and fix her up. She can't go home until we have this sorted out." Xander's groan casued his lips to twitch upwards. Cordelia glared at him as she walked out into the lobby.

"Well, it's not like I want to go with you either, dorkhead."

"Dorkhead? You wound me with your words."

Angel watched them go, and then rolling his eyes he turned to the others and set about organising everyone in a low determined voice.

" Willow, I need you to do a locator spell to find Penn." She nodded.

"It should be ready in about five minutes."

"Good," said Angel. "When we've found his location Spike and I will go and get him. Oz, I need you to look on the computer database for all the information we have on the Initiative from our last little encounter with them."

Faith, who had been resting her chin in her hands, looked up. "What can I do?"

"Get medical supplies ready. If what Cordy says is true then he's hurt badly."

Faith frowned. "But I can help you and Spike. I'm just as strong as you guys and I can help carry him back." Angel just shook his head.

"No, the more people, the more chance there is of getting caught."

"But he's my brother!" She argued fiercely.

Angel started to growl low in his throat in warning. "Don't argue with me Faith, I haven't got the time." She backed down, grudgingly accepting his dominance.

"Fine."

Angel made no reply instead turning to Buffy.

"I need you to call Kendra. See if she or Merrick know anything about our little soldier friends."

"Okay."

At that point Willow returned. "I've found his location. He's three blocks away on West Street in the alley next to Harry's bakery."

Angel offered a small smile of thanks before heading out of the kitchen to the weapons cabinet. Selecting a simple 15th century two-hander for himself, he grabbed his duster and turned to Spike, who favoured a plain but effective broadsword.

"Ready?"

Spike nodded, suddenly serious, and stamped out his cigarette with the heel of his boot. Angel made to go but he was suddenly turned around by a firm grip on his upper arm. A pair of warm, soft lips pressed urgently against his and he relaxed, allowing his tongue to gently tease the full bottom lip of his mate's. Buffy pulled away and squeezed his arm.

"Be careful?"

He smiled reassuringly at her. "Don't worry about me." He kissed her forehead and then moved his head next to her ear. "I'll be back in a bit with Penn and Spike and everything will be fine love, you'll see."

He nuzzled her neck and then with one last look walked out of the door with Spike, their dusters flapping in the cold, wet night.

-#-#-

They'd been gone for nearly an hour and a half…which was far too long.

Buffy had picked up Angel's habit and was now pacing nervously up and down the hotel lobby. Faith had gone upstairs long ago; tired, worried and feeling more than a little useless Buffy had made her get some sleep. There was nothing they could do now. She ran her fingers through her hair. Kendra had not been home and Buffy realised that she'd be out patrolling.

She'd tried Merrick as well but he hadn't been home either, and so she assumed he was with Kendra watching her fighting technique. It was something the ever-vigilant Watcher was prone to do, though she was sure his charge wasn't quite so enthusiastic about him accompanying her.

Oz's info had also been far from reassuring.

The Initiative had been in Sunnydale when the gang had been in High School and those irritating army boys had made the pack's life hell. It was only when Kendra had blown the base up that the werewolves had felt any peace.

Trying to deal with steroid filled soldiers and murderous robots was not high on Buffy's Top 10 Fun-Filled Activities-To-Do, and she had felt only satisfaction and gratitude when Maggie Walsh – the bitch who'd been behind the whole scheme- and her lackeys had all been killed in the explosion. Also killed in the blast was the incredibly annoying and slimy Riley Finn.

Even now she couldn't repress a shiver of disgust. Greasy hair, a larger than life smile and his farm boy manners had all caused him to merit the nickname 'Captain Cardboard' courtesy of Spike, and what Angel called him couldn't be repeated in polite company. Riley had asked her on endless dates, and each and every one she'd very firmly turned down. Angel hadn't taken kindly to someone pursuing his mate and the fact that Riley couldn't walk properly the day he died was testament to Angel's anger. The thought of her mate brought her out of her thoughts with a bump.

If the Initiative had somehow regrouped and were now in L.A then they were all in serious danger.

-#-#-

(An hour before)

Spike surveyed the fallen soldiers without compassion.

The stupid buggers had jumped them just as they'd crossed the park and before they knew it they were fending off a dozen of highly trained, well-armed soldiers. How they had known they were werewolves was a mystery, as they hadn't changed; and now they'd have to be especially careful if they could be detected in human form. Seven soldiers lay unconscious on the ground but five were dead; two had had their necks broken by the Alpha werewolf and his beta while the swords that they wielded had killed the other three, severing major arteries in the blink of an eye.

The fight felt like it had gone for ages but in reality it had only lasted ten minutes. They'd had to fight quickly in order to stop the soldiers from shooting their silver tipped bullets. They'd dodged, dived, tackled, bitten and punched their way to victory but not without injury. Spike was sporting a nasty slash to his torso and he knew that he'd be sporting a black eye tomorrow. Meanwhile Angel had taken a bullet to his right shoulder. Spike did not look forward to what Buffy might do to him when she found out that he'd failed to protect their leader.

_Still, if she used chains and got Faith to help her_…

Shaking himself out of his thoughts he looked over to where Angel was crouched licking his wound.

"Better get going if we want to get Penn before these idiots wake up." He emphasised his point by poking his boot into the side of the nearest soldier.

Angel nodded, straightening up and turning to face him. Silently they ran onto the block Willow had named and slowed down as they neared the alley next to the bakery. There was no need to scent the air. The smell of fresh blood was strong and the beast within Angel started to rear its head. He pushed it down firmly and with a nod to Spike they entered the gloomy alley.

There was a low whimpering sound.

They hurried forwards and moved next to the dumpsters. Two bright yellow eyes met Angel's and sparked in recognition. Penn's tail thumped once and he tried to get up but he was too weak to move. Ignoring the blood that covered Penn's side, Angel and Spike lifted the wolf on the count of three. There was a short howl of pain, quickly muffled by Angel placing his hand on Penn's muzzle.

'_We'll have you home in no time',_ said the Alpha, speaking directly into Penn's mind.

'_The sooner the better,'_ came Penn's pain filled response.

Spike chuckled inside his head. '_Yeah, well we're the ones who've got to carry you.'_

_'Yeah but you don't have your intestines trying to fall out of your side,' _mumbled Penn sourly.

_'Wonderful imagery there mate,' _grinned Spike. '_Shoulda' been a poet.'_

_'Spike, shut up,' _said Angel.

They came round the corner only to hear the groans of the soldiers rapidly gaining consciousness.

"Damn," muttered Angel. They'd woken up sooner than he'd anticipated and now they wouldn't have time to make it back to the hotel without their cover being blown.

'_Change of plans. Were heading to Caritas',_ he said as he turned to his right and headed off towards the club.

'_The karaoke place?' S_lurred Penn as he tried to stay conscious.

'_I know the owner. He'll give us protection, until we can go home.'_

_'You do realise that Fluffy's gonna be getting antsy back home don't ya mate?" _

_'Yes Spike,'_ came Angel's wearied response. '_The thought had crossed my mind.' _

_'Pity you can't do this talking thing over long distances. Woulda come in handy.'_

Just as Angel was about to reply they came upon Caritas. Angel sighed in relief, Penn was extremely heavy and Spike wasn't helping things. They entered the bar that was closing for the night and Angel searched for Lorne, the anagogic demon and owner of the club, only to find him already rushing to meet him, his gaze resting on Penn, who was now unconscious.

"What happened?" Lorne asked as he led them into his own private area in the back.

"The Initiative. You heard of them?"

Lorne's forehead creased in concentration and then snapped his fingers. "Yeah, sugarlips I have. Weren't they on the hellmouth before? I seem to recall you telling me something about them... but that was when you first moved here, ages ago."

He gestured for them to lay the prone werewolf on a bed in one of the rooms and then frowned at Angel.

"Shouldn't his healing kick in by now? And look at you Angelcakes, you're hurt and by the looks of it it's a bullet." He turned to face Spike. "You too?" He started over to a large medical cabinet and started pulling out supplies without waiting for an answer.

"I don't need any of your bleedin' medicine mate and neither does Angelus here," said Spike folding his arms over his chest. "What I could do with though is a cigarette. Musta dropped my packet in the fight."

Lorne tutted disapprovingly as he carried the bandages back to the bed. "No I haven't got any of those filthy things; and are you sure Angel? I've got some tweezers somewhere and…"

"No thanks Lorne. The bullet's already on its way out due to the healing. It's Penn who I'm more concerned about. His healing should have kicked in by now but if there's something stopping it we need to get it out now."

Lorne nodded his head and passed damp cloths to Angel and Spike.

"Start that side, clean him up and we'll go from there. I'll work this side and then we'll try and stop the bleeding. He'll soon be on his feet in no time."

They started quickly, concentrating on the task of trying to save Penn. Suddenly there was a loud crash as Lorne dropped the water bowl he'd been holding. His face was rapidly becoming pale and the others turned to look at him in concern.

"What, what is it?" asked Angel urgently.

Lorne held up the small, now beeping little black box and Spike voiced what they were all thinking.

"Shit."

-#-#-

**Thank to all of my reviewers!**

**Michelsita**: In answer to your query, no I haven't read Wolf pack yet, but since you've recommended it, I'll have a look. I was really hoping no one would notice the Dawn/ Conner/Sibling thing cos I have to admit I haven't quite worked it all out myself yet! Here's my version (and beware you may get lost in my reasoning):

Werewolves **_age differently_** to humans. Dawn and Conner are Buffy and Angel's twins. For every 1 human year a werewolf grows two, so if Dawn and Conner are sixteen technically they'd only be eight in human years. This is why Cordelia thinks they are siblings not offspring, because sixteen years haven't passed since she's seen the gang. In fact only twelve years have passed since graduation, but I decided that Buffy and Angel needed to set up somewhere to live and get settled down before they started raising a family. Once a werewolf hits sixteen in human terms, the aging process slows down and becomes one human year one werewolf year instead of two. If this slowing process didn't occur they'd all be dead really quickly. So, are you confused yet? Simply put they look older than they really are.

If this raises any more questions on how old Angel and Buffy are please feel free to ask. Whether you (or I) understand the answer is an entirely different matter.

**eliska-grainne: **I'm glad you liked my story!

**Ellie C.: **Thank you for your nice, if short review.

**Jennap: **I'm so glad you loved it. I'd been having a bad day when I received your review and it just brought a smile to my face!

**Angelicslayr007**: Sorry you had to wait so long for an update. Glad you like the story; I enjoy writing it.

**Oppy:** I completely agree with what you said. I often find the stories that I'm reading are infact complete rubbish and the people who are writing them infact have the English skills of a two year old. Harsh but sadly true. I'm glad you think it's well written, and I like people who give long reviews. It makes me feel like you've actually put some thought into what you've written. Thank you very much!

**Pyro Bear: **Thank you, my ever-faithful reviewer. I am glad I have now fixed the length of the chapters and I hope this one again meets your large but by no means unwelcome appetite.


	3. Where Everything Goes Wrong

**Feedback**: Duh! Feedback and criticism (but only constructive) is welcomed and appreciated.

**Disclaimer**: None of it's mine except the storyline, Chuck and Lucille and Commissioner Newtown. If it were, Angel wouldn't have left Buffy in the first place. This is therapy for me.

**Rating**: Pg - 13, for violence

**Pairing**: B/A, minor use of other ships e.g. W/O, S/F  
**  
Summary**: AU. A universe where the gang are werewolves, living in L.A, and the Initiative are back for a little revenge over the Sunnydale fiasco.

-#-#-

**..Base Control we have located the hostiles**...

_Roger that Commander. What are the coordinates?_

**...They are headed south-south easterly along Marilyn View Boulevard...**

_Understood. Proceed with track and retrieve. We only need two specimens. Kill the injured one. It was only bait._

**...Roger. What shall I do with the carcass?...**

_Burn it Commander. Over and Out._

-#-#-

Tired and anxious, Buffy made her way upstairs to check on the kids. Peering into Dawn and Conner's room she saw they were both asleep. Smoothing back Dawn's hair from her face and pulling the duvet up over Conner she switched off the light and closed the door.

"Mom?"

Buffy sighed and pushed the door back open, the hall light flooding in. Two faces peered at her, pale and nervous.

"Yeah?"

"Dad and Spike will be alright won't they? They'll find Penn?"

Trying not to let her children see her fears for her mate's safety, she sat down on the edge of Conner's bed and smiled reassuringly at the twins.

"Of course. Hey, when they get back and the Clan get's here why don't we have a big party to celebrate huh?"

Dawn's eyes lit up. "Ooh, can I have something new to wear?"

Conner rolled his eyes at his sister's enthusiasm for shopping. Buffy smiled having distracted her children successfully.

"Sure. We'll see if we can persuade Cordy to take you. Not that she'll take much convincing."

Conner stared at her in horror.

"I don't have to go, do I?"

Buffy chuckled. "No."

Conner sighed with relief. His father had told him privately of the time he'd been shopping with his mother. His credit card balance hadn't survived the trip and his father nearly hadn't either. And that was just with his Mom. But Dawn **_and _**Cordelia?

He'd need therapy.

-#-#-

She closed the door behind her. It was only with it firmly shut that she allowed the smile to die on her face and a frown to replace it. She'd assuaged the twins fears but not her own. She moved slowly back downstairs. Willow came out of the kitchen, two mugs of coffee clutched in her hands. She gave one to Buffy.

"Here. You look dead on your feet."

Buffy smiled wryly.

"Thanks Will."

Willow smiled. "Me and Oz are off to bed, you should come and get some sleep."

She shook her head. "I'll wait thanks."

"I can wait with you if you like?"

"I'll wake you up if… when they get back."

Will gave her a hug. "They'll be back Buffy. And then you can give him some of your _special_ treatment." She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.

Buffy smirked at her and feigned being shocked. "Willow! Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?"

Willow just smiled "Goodnight Buffy." She headed upstairs after Oz.

"'Night Will."

Buffy sank down into one of the big squashy sofas in the lobby and let the warmth of the coffee mug seep into her tired limbs. She shivered and realised she was cold.

Padding upstairs she passed Xander's and Cordelia's rooms where they were sleeping soundly, their heartbeats rhythmic and slow. Then she passed Faith's room where she was slee…dead by the sounds of it. Why was there no heartbeat?

Buffy frowned and opened the door of Faith's room. The bed was unmade from yesterday. She checked the room and then the on-suite bathroom growing more and more anxious. There was no sign of her. She pulled out the large box under Faith's bed where she stashed her personal weapons. Opening it there were still some left, but her favourite stake was missing and her two knives (a birthday present from Buffy) were gone. She shivered. The room was cold and her eyes moved from the floor to the open window.

"Dammit Faith. You were always so stubborn," she muttered.

Running to her and Angel's room she opened the large cabinet and pulled out her crossbow and handgun. Strapping the gun to her leg, she reached into the wardrobe and pulled on her long black coat and then left, running down the hallway. Willow poked her head out of her bedroom door to see Buffy running down the hallway with a …crossbow?

"What's wrong?" She asked worriedly as her best friend jumped from the hallway balcony to the lobby floor.

"Faith," was her only reply.

-#-#-

Chuck was a man who wasn't afraid of much. When he was four and his sister had run screaming from the bathroom at a spider he hadn't been scared. He'd eaten it.

When he was seven and the school bully had demanded his lunch money he hadn't been scared. He kicked him where it _hurt_ and demanded _his _lunch money.

When he was twelve and he had broken his leg and nose playing soccer he hadn't been scared of the size of the needle or of the bone sticking out of his leg. He'd been annoyed he'd missed the rest of the game.

And at thirty-six he hadn't been scared when he'd been shot twice in the thigh by robbers as he tried to apprehend them from taking their looted cash from the nearest bank. He'd ignored the pain and shot back, wounding one and allowing his partner and the back up team to catch them, earning himself an early retirement from the force and into being a lorry driver.

His angry wife on the telephone was also one thing Chuck wasn't scared of.

He was petrified.

It was a good thing the phone was hands free… having it any closer to his ear would have damaged his hearing.

"And why aren't you back yet?"

"Lucille I got caught up in all the …"

"Oh, here comes another excuse. What's it tonight? Extra work, caught in traffic? It's 4:15, what traffic is there at that time of night?"

"Well..."

"No, you will shut-up and listen to me for a change. I don't wanna hear anymore excuses do you hear me?"

"Loud and clear Lucille." He braked at the traffic lights and was extremely tempted to throw the phone out of the window. People were looking at him oddly.

"Tell me the truth."

"Well, you ain't gonna believe this but I'm surrounded by soldiers with…"

"Chuck dammit, I wanted the truth no a pack of lies."

"It's the truth Lucille I…"

"Sir step out of the vehicle."

"Chuck, stop it!"

"Sir, come out now with your hands up. We need to search your lorry. We think you may be harbouring dangerous criminals."

"Chuck!"

Chuck got out of the lorry; hands raised and stared at the soldiers with their guns trained on him. If people had been staring at him oddly before, they were openly gawping at him now as they drove past, the lights having turned green. One soldier got out a small remote control and scanned him.

"He's clear sir," he said to his superior, who was standing behind the men with the guns.

'It's always the way,' mused Chuck.

He coughed and decided to speak. "Course I am. I don't do drugs or alcohol. Heck, I don't even smoke." The soldier next to him said nothing but Lucille however had obviously caught the conversation.

"Chuck! You been stopped? When you get home you're gonna get the talking to of a lifetime!" He cringed. Why was the lorry door still open?

Ordered to search the rest of the lorry two soldiers went to the back, swung open the doors and scanned it, leaving three soldiers pointing their guns at him, the Commander and the soldier next to him. After five minutes they came out and shook their heads.

"Negative Sir. No hostiles in here."

The soldier next to him knitted his brows. "But the homing device location marker clearly says that they are in the truck."

Chuck looked confused. "Hostiles?" He asked.

"Quiet," said the soldier.

"Chuck! Answer me!" Lucille's tinny voice was still calling from the lorry cab.

"Search underneath the vehicle," ordered the Commander. One soldier went to clamber under the vehicle when he suddenly stopped and brought out a small black box from where it was blinking in one of the wheel hubs. The commander stared at it angrily.

"A decoy. But how did they…?" He turned to a bewildered Chuck.

"Sir, did you stop at any traffic lights recently, apart from this one?"

Chuck thought back. "Yep. There was the one oh, say a block ago or so."

The soldier sighed and ordered his men to stand down.

"Chuck! Chuck for god's sake answer me you son of a bi…" The Commander raised his gun and shot the phone, cutting off the nagging voice of Lucille.

Chuck's face split into a grin. It was the best thing that had happened to him all week.

-#-#-

**...Commander to Base Control. Mission failure...**

_Control to Commander. Why is that?_

**...Control, they found the homing device. They put it on a moving vehicle and used it as a decoy. By now they will have gone underground...**

_Understood Commander. The General will be informed. Expect to be debriefed immediately on your return._

**...Roger that Control. Over and out...**

The commander ordered his team to move out. Five dead and no hostiles captured. He was going to be demoted down to private so quickly he'd be getting whiplash.

All of a sudden from the corner of his eye he caught a flash of brown and black moving in the bushes and the hostile scanner started beeping rapidly. He smirked.

**...Commander to Control. Ignore that last report. Looks like we'll be bringing home a hostile tonight after all...**

-#-#-

'Where the hell is Faith?!' Thought Buffy as she ran along the streets of L.A. She honed all of her senses into trying to track the stubborn werewolf. Scenting the air she caught the faintest whiff of copper. She took a deeper drag and now she could taste it, the scent filling her mouth, tasting bitter, metallic… like blood.

-#-#-

'Where the hell is Buffy when I need her?' Faith ducked a punch thrown at her head by one of the soldiers.

The fight had only started ten minutes ago, but already they were wearing her down. She'd managed to break their guns, viciously swiping at their hands with an outstretched foot, kicking them high into the air. They'd smashed on the ground, but that was her only triumph. Angered at their loss of weaponry, the soldiers had thrown themselves into the fight and she was now sporting a slash to her upper arm, where she'd been cut by a knife, and a black eye. She dodged a sweeping kick, jumping up, only to receive a brutal blow to her face causing her to lose her balance and fall to the floor. She spat out blood.

"Bastard," she called. The soldier just leered, and infuriated she flipped herself back up again, catching two soldiers under the chin with her flying fists.

Organised the others rushed her as one, but she was ready. She grabbed one's arm and twisted it, snapping the bones in his arm. His knees buckled, and he fell to the floor. Using him as a platform, she leaped lightly onto his shoulders to deliver a spinning mid air kick to the face of the leader. He staggered back, and she grinned in satisfaction as he crumpled, unconscious to the floor.

She never saw the soldier behind her. But Buffy did.

"Faith, look out!" She screamed.

Faith whipped round just in time to block the heavy metal bar held in the soldiers hands as it came crashing down towards her head. Snarling she twisted it sharply, hearing wrist bones crack. The soldier yelped, and with a strong backhand he flew backwards. The other soldiers were regrouping though and the looks they were giving the two women were not pleasant. Buffy look worriedly at Faith.

"How're you doing? I could smell the blood…"

"I'm five by five B, like always," countered Faith. Her face though was rapidly becoming paler, her movements slower as she lost more and more blood.

"If you get a chance," said Buffy, as the soldiers started to rush them, "get back to the Hotel."

"No way B, I'm not leaving you here!" Shouted Faith as she punched one soldier in the face and twirled to jab an elbow in another. Buffy growled as she head butted one commando, who had hit her.

"You punch like a girl," she taunted him, and the soldier sneered, slapping her across the face hard.

Faith was having a hard time staying conscious and Buffy tried to make her way over to her. Unfortunately, the commander was now fully conscious and giving as good as he got. Buffy gave into the urge to change slightly and she grew claws, fiercely raking them across his face, leaving deep red gouges. He screamed in pain, giving Buffy enough time to yell.

"Faith go!" The soldiers were heading over to Buffy and their injured leader, leaving Faith an opening.

"But…"

"Go dammit!"

"I'll be back B!" And with one parting look Faith took off into the night.

Buffy sighed. Now she only had to worry about herself.

Sidestepping a punch she ducked low and swept her feet out, knocking over an advancing soldier. But the leader was clever, and a good fighter, and with one swift uppercut from his boot, Buffy lay sprawled on the L.A tarmac. She went to get up, but they were already there, and she received a violent kick to the side. She fell back down, only to have a boot press down on her chest, constricting her airways. She tried to move her arms to get rid of the boot but the feet of two soldiers mercilessly crushed her wrists.

She screamed in agony as they fell uselessly to her sides. Her lungs felt like they were on fire, burning and chocking her. She gasped for breath as she started to see black dots dancing in front of her eyes. The boot was lifted off for a moment, before being brutally slammed down into her again to the taunts of the soldiers. She cried out as her ribs fractured, and she coughed, blood splattering onto the road. Everything was now hazy and grey, and she whimpered, wishing desperately for Angel.

With one sadistic kick to her temple she succumbed to the darkness.

'Angel…'

-#-#-

"Where is everyone?"

Angel stumbled into the lobby, with Spike, Penn and Lorne. The whole hotel was quiet, and it was very disconcerting in comparison with the way he had left it, a hive of nervous activity.

"Buffy?" He called out. She didn't appear but Willow did, her face pale and drawn, emerging from one of the small rooms they used as an office with Oz in tow. She smiled but it didn't quite reach her eyes and Angel immediately grew worried.

"Where's Buffy?" He asked. Willow didn't reply but Oz moved to help lay Penn down on one of the large sofas in the lobby. He groaned but remained unconscious.

"His healing's kicked in?" She queried as she leant over him, looking at his wounds.

"Yeah," said Spike. "Had to remove this nasty bugger of a homing device before it did though." Willow looked up sharply.

"Homing device?"

"Initiative used Penn as bait. They caught us just as we were about to get him and attacked us. We beat 'em but they woke up pretty sharpish and we had to scarper."

Angel was growling softly. "Willow, I'm waiting for an answer."

She sighed. "Buffy ran out of the lobby about twenty minutes ago, saying something about Faith. I checked her room, and she'd escaped out of the window."

Angel snarled. "I ordered her to stay here!"

Willow tried to defend Faith but with the way Angel was glowering it was enough to make it come out as a feeble attempt. "She only wanted to look for her brother. She was worried about his safety."

"Yes," said Angel menacingly. "And now I'm worrying about Buffy's."

-#-#-

'Where the hell is the hotel?' Faith groggily searched for home. Her vision was swimming and every few steps she stumbled as her healing kicked in and tried to cope with the amount of blood she had lost. Suddenly, walking round the corner of the block she spied the large, imposing hotel.

'Stop moving,' she grumbled at it, as the big building swayed and split into two and she staggered towards the lobby doors.

It would have taken all of her effort to push open the glass doors, but Angel was there already and he dragged her in, sitting her down on a chair with a speed he rarely used.

"Faith!" He growled.

"Angel?" She questioned woozily. His face was blurring and she had to squint to make him refocus.

"What happened? Where's Buffy?"

Suddenly his face came into sharp relief and she gulped as she saw his angry glare. He would be raging when she told him the truth.

"I went looking for Penn, I know what you said, but I was worried for my brother. The Initiative found me and the fighting got pretty intense. I was about to be knocked out when B appeared, and yelled at me to turn round. We fought them off but these guys just wouldn't stop coming. B wanted me to leave, but I didn't want to, she forced me to go, I said I'd be back…"

Angel's fists were bunched and his knuckles white. He didn't notice his fingernails had dug grooves into his palms and he was bleeding.

"Angel?" Asked Willow, but he shied away with a growl, and she backed off nervously, sensing he was having a hard time containing his fury.

"And she's still out there now?" He asked in a low voice, cold steel lining every word.

Faith nodded and bit her lip.

There was a loud roar and Angel smashed his fist into the large marble pillar by Faith's head, leaving a large hole.

"Angelus…"

Angel turned to Spike his eyes murderous.

"I'm going to search for Buffy now," he rumbled. "And Spike, keep your mate out of my way because if Buffy's hurt..." He trailed off and picked up his sword again, still red with the soldier's blood.

"If Buffy's hurt then God help Faith. God help us all."

-#-#-

**Thank to all of my reviewers!**

**_Hotjohnnylover _– so you love Johnny too huh? Thanks for reading and reviewing my story. Sometimes I feel like there's no one out there reading it.**

**_Triss Skylark_ – hope this chappie satisfied u. I'll try and get the chapters out a bit quicker, but I've got year 10 exams coming up soon so unfortunately I have to revise and that plus my hectic social life leaves me little time to write:( **

**_Karmawiccan_ – cool name! Sorry if u got a bit confused with Chuck. He's just a lorry driver who gets stopped by the Initiative cos Angel and the guys put the homing device on his truck when he stopped at the traffic light so that they wouldn't follow them. Make sense now? I hope so and I'm glad you like my story.**

**_Marielle_ – sounds like you're addicted to my story. If so I'm very pleased (does the happy jig of happiness yayyyyy!) sorry I can't update sooner but if u got my email you'll understand why. It's nice to have 'mature' writing, one day I want to write professionally, so this is kind of testing my abilities (it's also therapy – Angel should NEVER have left).**

**Please, please, please, read and review – I crave your thoughts on my stories!**


	4. Shades of Pain

**Feedback**: Pretty please with a cherry on top! Feedback and criticism (but only constructive) is welcomed and appreciated.

**Disclaimer**: None of it's mine except the storyline, Chuck and Lucille, Commissioner Newtown, Jonah, Ulrich. If it were, Angel wouldn't have left Buffy in the first place. This is therapy for me.

**Rating**: Pg - 13, for violence

**Pairing**: B/A, minor use of other ships e.g. W/O, S/F  
**  
Summary**: AU. The whole gang are werewolves 'cept Cordelia. Somehow I couldn't see here doing the whole werewolf thing. In my mind she screws up her nose and then says ' Fur is sooo last winter'. Angel is the pack leader and his mate is of course Buffy. If I tell u anymore it'll ruin the story. Read and enjoy!

-#-#-

Dawn lazily made its way through Los Angeles, pink tendrils trailing sluggishly into the air, unhurriedly following the retreating inky blackness of the night. The last remaining stars put out their lights and the moon bid adieu, paling into the cotton clouds as the sun's rays kissed the dew-covered earth. It would be a beautiful sunrise.

To Angel though the world could have been in hell for all he cared. He was seeing everything in a dark shade of red as his fear, hurt and anger for Buffy clouded his vision. He'd followed her scent to an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of the city but then it vanished. The stench of his beloved's agony and blood covered her own natural scent of vanilla and sunshine thickly. Now it was gone replaced by the musty smell of damp cardboard, oil and moths. It was as though she had never existed. The warehouse was just that, a warehouse. He'd scoured every inch of it hoping for the faintest trace of her anywhere but there were no concealed panels leading to underground tunnels, no secret underground base…nothing.

He slumped to the ground, his sword falling uselessly to the cement floor with a sharp metallic clang. He buried his head in his hands, and breathed deeply. The anger that had fuelled him was now replaced by desperation and a sudden loneliness, a deep, soul searing fear that he would never find her and remain alone for the rest of his life. He felt like howling but his heart just wasn't in it. He felt empty, used and hollow. And then Angel did something he'd not done since he was seven and his puppy had run away.

He cried.

-#-#-

The cell was small and white. That was really all you could say about it. There was a small bench at the back with a small, grey blanket on it but the cell was otherwise unfurnished. Her weapons were gone as was her clothes; she was dressed simply in a white gown. She was awake, alert and though her wrists were a bit sore she was completely healed.

Getting off the bench she padded over to the cell bars and reached out to touch them. A sharp electrical shock made her yelp and back away, sucking her fingers. There was a gruff, deep laugh from the cell opposite her, which she had previously thought unoccupied. Her eyes sought out any life form, and crouched at the back in the darkness was a shadowy form. She tried to make out any details and that was when the creature opened its eyes and stared back at her. They were a deep golden and completely hypnotising and Buffy couldn't help being drawn into their depths. The creature suddenly coughed, a harsh, rasping sound, and Buffy suddenly broke eye contact and watched as the creature's body shook uncontrollably.

The coughing subsided and the creature leaned forward slightly so as to come out of the dark shadows in the back of the cell. There was a sharp intake of breath.

"Vampire," she hissed.

"Ulrich actually," the vampire wheezed, his lips twitching upwards at the corner.

"Great," muttered Buffy. "Just what I need. A vampire with a sense of humour."

"You develop one in here, or you lose your mind," said Ulrich darkly, stepping out further into the light. He sat down near the cell door, watching Buffy.

"You can't be a vampire! The light…"

"I'm losing my vampirism. I can go in the light for short periods; I have to breathe and now I can catch colds hence the cough. Gradually I'm becoming human due to the experiments."

"Experiments?"

He gazed at her silently and Buffy realised his human eyes were navy blue. Finally he spoke.

"You are at the new Initiative headquarters. When the one in Sunnydale was blown up by the Slayer the government decided they needed their soldiers to be better equipped to fight off non-human species. Thus, they set up here. They capture different demons, creatures, anyone with mutant powers and experiment on them. They take whatever gifts you have and put them in their own soldiers. Make them super strong, the ultimate fighting force or something like that."

He stretched slightly as Buffy took in the information.

"So they've what, defanged you? Excuse me if I don't feel sorry for you."

Ulrich growled slightly. "You think that because I'm a vampire I deserve to be experimented on?"

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Your soulless, you know, not having of the soul kind and basically the less there are of you the better the world will be."

Ulrich sneered. "You think having a soul makes you a good person? I suppose all those murderers and dictators were just having an off day then? Oh it's okay, they've got souls, which means they're all good people really."

He shook his head and smiled ironically. "You're one of the monsters too you know. Everything's not as black and white as you'd like it. I don't have a soul, true, but does that mean you have the right to subject me to pain? What right do you have to choose who lives and who dies, who gets tested on and who can live their happy soul having life?"

He paused and rubbed his chin as if in thought. "You know, the animal rights people get worked up about the cute, fluffy rabbits that get experimented on. But does anyone really give a damn if someone uses a frog, or a worm, or a rat? It's wrong if the scientists use people with souls but everyone else, well they don't really matter do they? They don't have feelings; I bet they can't even feel pain!"

He pointed over to an empty cell next to Buffy.

"Last week that held a small boy by the name of Jonah. He was only 6 years old. He was taken by two scientists every day at dawn into that room through there."

He pointed at a metal door at the end of the corridor of cells. "I heard his screams, his pleas, his sobs for them to stop. Do you know what it is like to listen to a child cry for their mother as they are tortured? To comfort them with words as they sob in their cell at night when they are returned, knowing there is nothing you can do to ease their pain?"

He turned his eyes on Buffy and she flinched at the cold, dead look in his eyes. "One day the scientists came and he went into that room. He never came back out again."

He gave a hollow laugh. "His only crime was that he was a demon. But then, I suppose you think that he deserved that, don't you?"

Buffy shook her head, and she couldn't stop the trickle of tears that leaked out of her eyes and made their way down her face. "I, I'm sorry, I didn't realise…"

He raised his hand silencing her. "It doesn't matter. You can't bring him back, nothing can. All you can do is fight, and try and think, and realise that what you thought was right, isn't always. What's that old cliché? Two sides two every story?"

He began to cough again and he gasped for breath. "I do apologise, here I am carrying on about equal right for demons, and I don't even know your name. Where _have_ my manners gone?"

Buffy gave a short bark of laughter at his sarcasm and wiped away her tears. "It's Buffy," she said.

"Well, Buffy," said Ulrich, a wry smile crossing his features. "Let me introduce you to the rest of the cellblock…"

-#-#-

Faith hadn't stopped crying and Spike was getting worried.

She wasn't the type of female who cried at a mushy film. He didn't think she'd cried since she was four and he'd pulled the head off her Barbie. She dealt with it and moved on. This Faith however, was sobbing into his shirt in their bedroom, and there was nothing he could do to stop the tears coursing down her cheeks. He was rubbing her back soothingly and muttering unintelligible words of comfort in her ear as she clung tightly to him but nothing was working.

"Faith?" he asked, pulling back from her slightly.

Her hair was dishevelled, her makeup had run and her eyes were red and puffy from crying. He cupped her head with his hands and kissed her softly. "Faith, pet, you can't keep crying like this. It's not your fault that Buffy was taken, it was those bloody soldiers not you."

Faith shook her head, her dark hair flying wildly. "But it is! If I hadn't gone after Penn, then Buffy wouldn't have come looking for me and…"

Spike pressed his finger against her lips. "You went looking for your brother, Faith, and that was an admirable thing do. He's your family Faith you couldn't abandon him."

Her dark eyes clouded. "But you're all my family as well. Buffy is my family, my clan leader's mate! And I disobeyed Angel. I should have just left it to them and then none of this would have happened." She started to cry again and Spike couldn't take it anymore.

He took her by the shoulders and shook her.

"Dammit Faith, you went after your brother, and yes, it was against the poof's wishes but so what! I would've done the same if you'd been out there, and so would he if it were Buffy and he was in your position. You can't keep blamin' yourself for somethin' that anyone would have done. Buffy chose to go after you, and I don't think you told those soldiers to beat you both up did you? What happened would've happened anyway, fate would have seen to that. Angel's angry and upset, true, but moping up 'ere ain't gonna sort anything is it?"

Faith looked up at him with wide eyes and then suddenly shook herself as though she were coming out of a trance.It seemed his little speech had done the trick.

"Your right, I should be doing something, not crying over my stupid mistake." She hugged him and nipped his neck eliciting a growl from the werewolf. He leant in for a kiss but she dodged out of the way, leaping from his arms and over to the doorway. She winked playfully. "Come on, we've got some research to do," and she slipped out of the door.

Spike growled to himself.

"Dammit woman!" He thumped his hand into the bed beside him. "I think I preferred her crying."

#-#-

Nobody wanted to be the first to speak. Dawn opened her mouth, hesitated, and then shut it again, staring glumly at the ground. Willow nervously tapped her nails against the side of her fifth coffee.

Pitter pat…pitter pat…Pitter Pat…PITTER PAT… PITTER PAT.

"Oh bloody hell Red, stopping doing that!" Yelled Spike breaking the silence. Everyone jumped and the coffee swirled dangerously.

"This is so stupid," muttered Faith. "How long's he been up there?"

"Two days," said Oz quietly.

"I've never seen Dad so angry before," said Conner, who in an uncharacteristic display of affection had his arm wrapped around his sister's back comfortingly.

"Yeah, well, no-one's taken yer Mom before have they," said Spike reaching for a cigarette in his back pocket.

Cordelia grumbled aloud. "Well sitting here isn't getting us anywhere. I don't even know what I'm still doing with you weirdoes. I mean two days ago I didn't even know werewolves existed. Now we've gotta save one. God, why do horrible things always happen to me?"

Everyone stared at her, but Cordelia carried on unaware of the incredulous looks she was getting.

"I mean one day I'm living my normal life in my nicely well paid job, thank you very much, then suddenly dogs are talking to me, Buffy's kidnapped and to my complete and utter horror my very expensive designer clothes are absolutely _wrecked_!"

Conner was only stopped from doing something very nasty to Cordy by Dawn, who held him back, only because it meant cleaning the lobby floor afterwards, something that was **not** a lot of fun.

"Well it's nice to see you have your priorities right," said Xander sarcastically.

She rolled her eyes but continued moaning. "And now my boss had gone and trashed the rooms upstairs because the love of his life is missing. Can't he get over himself just a bit? I mean, here I am, risking my nails and social credibility to hang out with you losers, and, might I add, without receiving a paycheck, while he lets out his anger on his home." She sighed dramatically. "My caring nature sometimes even surprises myself."

There was stunned silence, as every mouth hung open at her words. Cordelia stood up suddenly and brushed an imaginary speck of dust off her skirt.

"And it looks as though it's up to me to sort out this mess as well." She began to make her way up the stairs when Faith suddenly found her voice.

"What do you think you're gonna to do?"

Cordelia paused and turned around, a superior smile gracing her features.

"I'm going to make him calm down and then get him off his ass and doing something, which you all have failed at spectacularly so far."

Faith cast her a disbelieving look. "Using what, the Chase family charm?"

Cordelia's face split into a wicked grin.

"Exactly."

-#-#-

_Everything hurt._

Parts of her body she didn't even know existed were now throbbing. Her healing was working overtime trying to knit the broken bones back together, repair the pierced flesh and replace the lost blood which now caked her legs and arms, dried and crusted.

_Two days. _

Every morning two men in white laboratory coats came to the cell door, disabled the electricity which kept her from touching the bars and then shot her with a tranquilliser gun through the bars.

_Like some wild animal. _

There was nowhere to escape to. Nowhere to hide from the leering grins and suggestive comments, the derogatory remarks and hateful stares.

_Bulls-eye._

The needle would find its mark. She'd fall limp, to the ground. But the mixture only paralysed her. She could hear, feel and see everything that happened to her. She was trapped inside her own body.

_A coffin of flesh. _

Hauled over one of the scientist's shoulders she was carried out of the cell and down the corridor to the iron door at the end. From there on in everything was just blinding pain.

-#-#-

Her hands and feet were chained to four poles at the end of a large, cold metal table. There was the sound of a large trolley being wheeled in and then suddenly a smooth, patronising voice spoke somewhere to her left.

"We are proceeding to test the healing powers of Hostile 33X05. The time is 9:23."

Buffy blinked as a large face loomed over her own. The woman had dark red hair pinned up in a chignon, piercing grey eyes and glasses. She grinned, showing a full set of gleaming white teeth and Buffy decided immediately that she hated her.

"Now let us see how you deal with pain," cooed the woman patronisingly in Buffy's ear. "Feel free to scream…" she paused and laughed mockingly. "Oh wait, you can't can you?"

-#-#-

Hostile 33X05 report.

By Helena Daley

Hostile brought into laboratory at 9:23. Experimentation began immediately. Testing results shown below.

_Slice across lower leg_.

Note: The skin heals almost instantly after incision was made.

_Cut, deeper this time._

Note: Blood wells, scab formed and then drops off leaving clear unmarked skin. No redness or bruising left to indicate incision.

_Chunk of flesh removed from lower thigh. See image page 3 of report._

Note: Healing time four minutes and thirty two seconds.

_Stab wound to calf. Full penetration with knifed passing all the way through hostiles leg._

Note: Healing time ten minutes. Tests prove all severed veins, blood etc are now regrown and working perfectly.

And so it went on, page and page of detailed accounts of the testing that had been done on the new hostile. The results of the tests proved quite conclusively that this species of hostile were perfect for using in creating their new race of Super soldiers.

Commissioner Newtown relaxed back into his chair and smiled at the redheaded woman waiting patiently on the other side.

"Well Helena I must say you have exceeded yourself on this occasion."

The woman smiled prettily and tucked a wayward strand of hair behind her ear.

"Thank you Sir. As you can see my examination was quite thorough, I wanted to be sure. After all, isn't this the final ingredient we need?"

Newtown nodded his head. "Indeed. With the healing strands of DNA that you will acquire from this creature we can start immediate preparation. However I advise caution. We all know what happened to Walsh. No one is to get cocky am I clear? Especially when we are so near to completion."

"Of course Sir. I shall personally see to the final stages."

"Excellent. You are dismissed."

Waiting until Helena had left his office the smile slid off his face and was replaced by a scowl. The woman was tricky and far too intelligent for her own good. Once this was over he'd have someone fix that problem for him. Get her off his hands. Preferably into a morgue.

He placed the file back on his desk and picked up the phone.

"Operator? Yes, put me through to the President."

-#-#-

The hotel was a hive of activity. No one was quite sure what Cordelia had done or how she'd done it but Angel was now scouring maps of the city trying to pinpoint where he'd last smelt Buffy. Everyone had a task to do, whether it was researching powerful locator spells (the normal ones wouldn't work) or sharpening weaponry.

Angel hadn't needed to apologise. They knew why he'd done it and they'd all dealt with their grief and anger over Buffy being kidnapped in their own way. No one begrudged Angel his anger and how he'd decided to channel it.

Besides they were family. Pack.

It was noisy inside, everyone trading ideas, theories on how to rescue Buffy. An air of hope and optimism surrounded the group, although perhaps that was just due to the amount of coffee that Willow had drunk.

Suddenly Oz picked up the sound of the hotel lobby door being opened and alerted the rest of the group. A deadly silence came over them as collectively they pricked their ears searching for the slightest sound. Those who could grabbed a weapon. The others grew their claws. Cordelia was roughly pushed to the back as she was weapon less and cautiously they made their way out onto the landing. Below them there was the soft padding of feet and the squeak of door hinges.

_'On my signal,' _said Angel telepathically. Everyone tensed for attack, readying to jump over the balcony and surprise the intruders.

'_Go!'_ With an almighty roar they leapt over, Angel with his sword raised, eyes flashing, Spike, claws and teeth bared, Oz already in wolf form…

Giles raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"Did I miss something?"

#-#-

**Thank you to all of my reviewers!**

**Liz **I'm glad you really like the story. I hope the chapters now meet a satisfactory length; I do try really hard on them!

**Spikes Kitten **Wow your certainly enthusiastic aren't you: ) I'm glad you like the thing between Buff and her Angel, cos it's one of my fav things too. I'm glad you think my fic is so cool!

**Lucifer's Angel** First of all, nice name! I thought it would be good for Buffy to go after Faith, and as it was essential to the plot I'm just glad it worked so well. Maybe it's something to do with them being sister slayers in another life perhaps?

**ashes2342 **I'm glad you think it is original. I'm sorry you had to wait so long for a new chapter, but I have to wait for inspiration to hit me. For example the character of Ulrich only developed as I was typing. The characters pretty much write themselves.

**Karmawiccan** Sorry about my irregular postings! Thank you for you lovely comment blushes And just for you I included some Spike/Faith, cos you wanted other mates.

**Tsw **Thanks! Hope to have another review from you soon.

**Sarahsamhain **Thank you for reviewing. I like possessive Angel too.

**Kris** I'm glad you think it's good. It's so nice to have lovely reviewers.

**buffynangelforever** Well, your name has got to be one of the best I've seen so far ; ) Thanks for reviewing and for your nice words.

**PLEASE REVIEW THIS STORY! GO ON, YOU KNOW YOU WAN'T TO! **


	5. Journey In Memories

**Feedback**: Pretty please with a cherry on top! Feedback and criticism (but only constructive) is welcomed and appreciated.

**Disclaimer**: None of it's mine except the storyline, Chuck and Lucille, Commissioner Newtown, Jonah, Ulrich. If it were, Angel wouldn't have left Buffy in the first place. This is therapy for me. Quotes taken from season 1 and two of BTVS though they may have been changed slightly to suit the authors own storyline.

**Rating**: Pg - 13, for violence

**Pairing**: B/A, minor use of other ships e.g. W/O, S/F  
**  
Summary**: AU. The whole gang are werewolves.

-#-#-

"Buffy!"

She groaned and sat up in bed. "I'm up, Mom!"

"Don't wanna be late for your first day!"

"No…wouldn't want that."

…………

"Hey, Jesse, what's what?" asked Xander.

"New Girl!" he exclaimed excitedly.

"That's right, I saw her. Pretty much a hottie!" Xander smiled.

"I heard someone was transferring…" said Willow craning her head for another look

………….

"Can I help you?" asked Xander squatting down to pick up the fallen textbooks.

Buffy smiled gratefully, "Thanks."

"I don't know you, do I?"

"I'm Buffy. I'm new."

…………

"Uh, Hi! Willow, right?" Buffy asked, slightly unsure.

Willow jumped nervously and looked ready to bolt. "Why? I-I mean, hi! Uh, did you want me to move?"

Buffy chuckled. "Why don't we start with 'Hi, I'm Buffy,' and, uh, then let's go directly into me asking you for a favour. It doesn't involve moving, but it does involve hanging out with me for a while."

…………

"What are you talking about?" asked Willow.

"Some guy was stuffed in Aura's locker!" exclaimed Cordelia.

"Dead?"

"Totally dead. Way dead."

"It's not just a little dead then?"

Willow and Xander exchanged looks.

"Er, Buffy we've got somewhere to be now so, er…"

"Well, that's okay I can come with you if you…"

"No! No, that's all right, er, we gotta go, bye" and without another word they were off leaving behind a very bewildered Buffy.

…………..

"Giles! Merrick! Kendra! Yo, anyone?" called Xander, coming through the library doors with Willow on his heels.

Giles popped his head from around the stacks of books.

"Sorry?"

"You heard about the dead guy, right? The dead guy in the locker?"

Giles stepped into the light and made his way down the stairs."Yes."

"Well?"

Giles sighed and took his glasses off to clean them. "Kendra is on the case and Merrick is helping as best he can."

"And? Does Angel know?"

"Yes." Two pairs of eyes looked at him expectantly. He put his glasses back on and assuaged their unvoiced fear.

"But we think it was a vampire. That is more Kendra's area of expertise and nothing for the pack to worry about."

…………..

She walked down the darkened street; heading to where she thought the Bronze was when she got the strange feeling that _something _was watching her. Whirling round she saw absolutely nothing. There was a young couple out walking on the other side of the pavement but they were completely engrossed in each other. A cat leaped out of an alleyway to her left, knocking over cans in its wake and she jumped.

"It's a damn cat, Buffy. Get a grip on yourself."

Shaking her head at her own stupidity she carried on walking, but her pace increased and the sensation of being followed haunted her all the way to the Bronze. It was with a sense of relief she reached her final destination. And a pair of glowing, amber eyes watched from the bushes.

………….

"Murder, death, disaster. What else?" Wondered Willow as they walked down the corridor to class.

"Paranormal, unexplained, did you get natural disasters?" said Xander.

"Earthquake, flood," chipped in Faith.

"Rain of Toads?" Offered Spike.

………………

"So, Merrick! Got anything that can make this day any worse?"

"How about the end of the world?

………………

"It comes once in a century, on this night. The Master can draw power from one of his minions while it feeds. Enough power to break free and open the portal. The minion is called the Vessel, and he bears this symbol," explained Merrick to the assembled pack and his slayer, drawing a three-pointed star on a whiteboard.

"So, I kill anyone wearing dat symbol and dere will be no Harvest?" Queried Kendra.

"Simply put, yes."

"Any idea where this little get-together is being held?" Asked Spike, inhaling a deep drag on his cigarette.

"There, there are a number of possibilities…" began Giles.

"They're goin' to the Bronze," said Xander.

"Are you sure?" Willow asked.

"Come on. All those tasty young morsels all over the place? Anyway, that's where Jesse's gonna be, trust me." There was no uncertainty in his voice.

"Then we should get there. The sun will be down before long," said Angel seriously and muttered low under his breath, "and I'm getting hungry."

……………

"I take it it's over," said Giles sheathing his claws.

"Did we win?" Asked Willow, her red- brown fur retracting into her skin.

"Well, we averted the apocalypse. I give us points for that," said Faith, brushing vampire dust off her self.

"One thing's for sure: nothing's ever gonna be the same," said Xander as they left the Bronze, trouping off into the night.

Angel paused for a moment and scanned the Bronze but found nothing and ran to join the others.

"Yes," muttered Buffy to herself, coming out from behind a pillar in the bronze where she had been hiding. "You got that right."

…………….

"Well, I heard it was rival gangs. You know, fighting for turf? But all I can tell you is they were an ugly way of looking. And there were these huge like, dogs! Which is just too weird. I mean, I don't even remember that much, but I'm telling you, it was a freak show! " Exclaimed Cordelia.

"Oh, I wish I'd been there!" said her friend.

Cordelia nodded sympathetically. "You should have been there. It was so creepy…"

"What exactly were you expecting?" said Giles as the pack walked past the two chattering girls in the corridor.

"I don't know, something. I mean, the dead rose. We should at least have an assembly," said Xander in disbelief.

"People have a tendency to rationalize what they can and forget what they can't," said Angel, pushing open the library door. He stopped dead in his tracks.

"What, what is it?" asked Xander, pushing past Angel until the entire group was inside.

Buffy, perched on the library table glared at them.

"Care to explain what the _hell_ happened at the Bronze last night?"

Angel sighed. "Then again, there are always exceptions."

………….

She raised an eyebrow. "And you're all werewolves, 'cept for Kendra and Merrick, who are in fact, human with nifty powers."

"Actually," said Merrick "Only Kendra has the powers, as her Watcher I just…"

"Watch?" offered Buffy.

"Yes! No!" He exhaled loudly. "A watcher, he, he trains her, he prepares her…"

"And what? Now she's got her own lil' group of blood hounds? Like Lassie?"

There was a loud growl from Angel. "We are _NOT _dogs…"

"But not human?"

Giles took his glasses off and cleaned them needlessly again. It seemed to be a habit of his, Buffy noted.

"In Mythology werewolves are entities that are human but shape shift into animal form during certain lunar aspects which affect their DNA.The word** '**werewolf' or 'lycanthrope' actually comes from the Greek words lykoi, "wolf" and anthropos, "man". In reality the change can be voluntary (at will), or can be forced by certain cycles of the moon, for example the full moon and the two nights surrounding it."

"He loves saying that," said Xander to Buffy with a smirk.

………………….

"So were you guys, like, born this way or did you get bitten?" asked Buffy, idly flipping through her history textbook in the library.

Willow looked up at her from across the table, where she was completing an essay.

"Um, well Giles was bitten ages ago by this guy. He's dead now by hunters," she said answering Buffy's questioning look. "Anyways, most of the pack were bitten by each other or infected people, but Faith, her brother Penn, and Angel were all born into werewolf families."

……………….

The flashes came quicker now. People and places, family, friends merging into one another, scenes morphing into memories of the past…

…………..

Angel settled back onto the bed and folded his hands under his head. "Does Xander know he doesn't stand a chance?"

Buffy raised an eyebrow. "We're going out for coffee on Friday."

"What?"

Buffy smothered a grin at Angel's decidedly frosty tone. "Will's coming with us and Faith and Spike said they might drop by too."

………..

"Ah, Miss French. You two are probably a little young to understand what an older woman would see in a younger man."

"Oh, I understand," said Buffy smirking.

"Good!" said Xander triumphantly.

"The younger man is too dumb to wonder why an older woman can't find someone her own age, and too desperate to care about the surgical improvements!"

"What surgical improvements?" he asked bemused.

"Well, he is young", said Willow smiling patronizingly at Xander.

"And so terribly innocent!" added Buffy.

.………..

Owen left and Buffy stared after him. She sighed. "That was Owen."

"Yes, I know," said Giles, picking up a handful of returned books. "Does Angel know?"

"Is it a crime now to date anyone else in this school?" She glared at him. "Angel and I aren't even a couple!"

Giles raised an eyebrow. "I was merely saying..."

"Well don't."

………...

"Come on, Angel pushes your buttons. You know he does," said Willow leaning forward conspiratorially.

"I suppose some girls might find him good looking...if they have eyes, alright, he's a honey, but... it's just he's never around at school, and when he is he ignores me, plus there's the whole werewolf thing – no offence Will- but he isn't gonna want to date some one who's human, someone like me …" she trailed off miserably.

………..

"Angel showed up. He could smell it."

"The blood? There's a guy you wanna party with."

………….

"Did... she have a date?"  
"Well... Well, why do you think she went to that party? Because you gave her the brush-off Angel!"

……….

Angel

**Angel**

**_Angel_**

**ANGEL**

**_"ANGEL!"_**

Buffy woke up suddenly, her screaming still ringing in her ears.

She scrunched up her eyes tightly, trying to slide the images of her past back into her memory as they crowed and jostled in her head for a place. She found she was breathing hard and her heart was racing. Trying to calm herself down she finally took in her surroundings - only to gasp in astonishment.

She was curled up next to Angel, her head pillowed on his chest, rising and falling with each gentle breath he took. She smiled bemusedly but contentedly and snuggled further into his embrace. His arms tightened unconsciously around her and for the first time in days Buffy felt protected, safe, loved.

She debated waking him up and asking how she had been rescued but thought better of it – her curiosity could wait – and decided to enjoy the moment. She must have dozed off again because someone gently opening the door woke her.

Willow peeked her head around the door and spotting Buffy smiled. She walked in and closing the door softly behind her sat on the edge of the bed. Although Willow was smiling she looked rather melancholy.

"What's up Will?" asked Buffy gently.

Willow looked at her but it almost felt like she was looking through her.

"Hey Buffy, well you'll be glad to hear that today Connor got married to that girl I was telling you about, remember, the one he met at college? Amy Phillips, you know? The pretty shy one, with the long blonde hair." Willow smiled sadly.

"It was really nice, not too posh, quiet, close friends and family – you'd have liked it. Amy looked really beautiful and Conner, he's grown up fast, quite the gentleman now. You'd have been so proud of him Buffy." By this time Buffy was now growing seriously worried and not a little scared.

"Will, what the hell are you talking about. Since when was Connor getting married or for that fact going to college?" She looked concernedly at her best friend. "Do you feel sick? Maybe you're running a temperature…"

She went to put her hand on Willow's forehead only to find it went straight through her. She jumped back yelling. "What the-"

And suddenly they were no longer in Angel's bedroom but sitting on the grass in a cemetery.

"What is happening here?" She asked no one in particular, stamping her foot petulantly. "Willow?" she turned to her friend who was now standing up from the grass and getting ready to go.

"I wish you could have been there Buffy. Angel missed you. We all did." And without another word she turned and began to walk out.

"But I'm right here. You were talking to me I…" she trailed off as everything clicked. She was standing in a graveyard. Her hand had gone through Willow's head. And her friend wasn't talking to her. No not to her.

To her gravestone.

-#-#-

The next time that Buffy woke she _was _curled up next to someone but it wasn't Angel. Her head was pillowed on someone's (and it appeared to be male) chest, rising and falling with each gentle breath that person took. But she did not smile contentedly; neither did she snuggle further into the embrace. Arms did tighten unconsciously around her and not for the first time in as many days did Buffy feel slightly worried, confused and, most importantly, very, **very** annoyed.

(Reliving your past, and then waking up next to your mate thinking you had been rescued, only to find out you were still dreaming was oft known to make a person extremely grouchy).

She threw off the arms that were holding her to _it_ and tried to move.

Emphasis on the word tried.

White-hot pain lanced through her legs as she attempted to move them, stabbing knives of agony attacking her body. 'Ow!' would have been an understatement.

"Are you alright?" said the corpse next to her.

She would have jumped, but the movement hurt too much, so she stayed were she was and folded her arms defiantly, ignoring the question and gritting her teeth.

"Okay, Ulrich, tell why I'm lying next to you in your cell before I rip out your voice box _very_ _slowly._"

"Obviously you're not a morning person," muttered Ulrich. Buffy's hearing picked it up though and her eyes narrowed. "Look it's like this, last night the soldiers actually got lucky and captured some demons – four or five I think. Anyway they've run out of cells so you got put in with me."

Buffy looked at him incredulously. "What, do these guys need a cell each? How big are they?"

Ulrich smiled. "Oh it's not size that matters, it's the fact that the are prone to attack members of their own species or anybody else and digest their bodily fluids; that means they've got a cosy cell all of their own."

Buffy wrinkled her nose. "Eew, and I thought Xander was gross." She paused. "That still doesn't explain why I was using you as my personal bed. Care to explain?"

He shrugged and raised his hands helplessly. "You were shivering, your leg was throbbing and you were muttering in your sleep, what was I meant to do? Leave you where they chucked you? If it makes you feel any better I wouldn't have touched you with a bargepole otherwise." He rolled his eyes in despair. "Women!"

If Ulrich thought he'd dug himself out of that one he was sadly mistaken.

Buffy's eyes became slits. "What do you mean you wouldn't have touched me otherwise?

-#-#-

The werewolves growled at each other and circled warily.

"I don't give a damn about how **_you_** think you've been taking care of her – you've obviously been doing a completely crap job of it!"

"Oh lay off it old man, who's pack leader here, Angel or you?" asked Spike contemptuously from the sidelines.

"Who's older and wiser and…"

"Yeah, the key word there is old…"

Giles growled in warning. "Be careful Spike about how you speak to your elders, otherwise one day I might have to teach you the meaning of respect. And believe me I'll enjoy every minute of it."

"Spike, leave it," said Angel glancing at his beta.

"I'd like to see that," muttered Spike but he was cowed and slunk back to join Faith.

Giles turned back to Angel.

"I thought that I could ensure the pack's safety in your hands and clearly I was wrong."

"Do you think I don't care about her as much as you? Is that it? She's my …"

Angel

**Angel**

**_Angel_**

**ANGEL**

**_"ANGEL!"_**

Buffy's pain filled tones echoed round in their heads and the argument that was in full flow stopped immediately. Angel staggered slightly as Buffy cried out his name in distress.

"Buffy, where are you, love?"

-#-#-

**Thanks to all of my reviewers!**

**Rbritsmom73** Well I'm glad I have your continued support : )

**Kerry **Thanks for reviewing**. **Soz, can't kill off Dawn, at least not in this one.

**Sarah A. David** I am so glad you like my story. And thank you for reviewing. And now you won't have to miss Giles because his wonderful werewolf presence is now here.  
**Angelic Evility **Oh that's another person hooked. I really need to start a clinic soon for you all junkies to go into B/A rehab. Thanks for the lovely comment.

**Britt **I hope he does soon too, I don't know how much of this writing malarkey I can keep doing ; ) Guess you'll have to keep reading and see.

**RedsLover03 **You assume correctly my dear.

**Charli **Aaw, thanks Charli.

**Anna **Thanks for your lovely comments and thank you for reviewing.

**Samhain Vampiress** No they weren't predestined mates, they just really liked each other and have grown extremely close – they are soul mates. It also seems you like a bit of torture hmm? I'll see what I can do…

**RedsLover03 **Giles is her father figure and he treats her like a daughter.

**PLEASE REVIEW THIS STORY! I got ten reviews last time - a record achievement for me, thanks to you guys!**

**Please continue to write your support, ideas and general comments, they really are appreciated.**


	6. The End Of All Things

**Feedback**: Pretty please with a cherry on top! Feedback and criticism (but only constructive) is welcomed and appreciated.

**Disclaimer**: None of it's mine except the storyline, Chuck and Lucille, Commissioner Newtown, Jonah, Ulrich. If it were, Angel wouldn't have left Buffy in the first place. This is therapy for me. Quotes taken from season 1 and two of BTVS though they may have been changed slightly to suit the author's own storyline.

**Rating**: Pg - 13, for violence

**Pairing**: B/A, minor use of other ships e.g. W/O, S/F  
**  
Summary**: AU. The whole gang are werewolves 'cept Cordelia. Somehow I couldn't see here doing the whole werewolf thing. In my mind she screws up her nose and then says ' Fur is sooo last winter'. Angel is the pack leader and his mate is of course Buffy. If I tell u anymore it'll ruin the story. Read and enjoy!

-#-#-

Three weeks passed.

She'd waited patiently for any sign of a rescue attempt but none had come. The flower of hope that she'd been carefully nurturing inside her was slowly withering away, and with every day that passed she became more withdrawn, physically and emotionally sick and tired. Even Ulrich was unable to coax the normally bubbly and outgoing werewolf out of the shell she was gradually retreating into.

Before, she'd always had the comforting thought that Angel and her pack would stage a daring but successful rescue operation and save her. But she'd squashed that notion viciously, resigned to her fate.

Little by little the torture was wearing her down and being isolated from everyone she'd known was taking its toll. Ulrich was by now a good friend and he'd try and engage her in conversation, anything to keep her spirits up. He'd sleep next to her; sharing whatever body heat he could with her at night and try and protect her from the soldiers who came to tranquillise her by day. It didn't matter - they now darted him first and then her, making protection impossible. The cold didn't seem to affect her anymore; infact, if she was truthful, there was nothing now that seemed to move her in the slightest. She was becoming numb to the world, because everything was harsh and grey and painful and inside her head she could dream and love and be free.

"You can't give in," Ulrich had said fiercely one day when she'd come back from another exhausting round of physical tests.

He himself had only just returned and had a bloody mouth where they'd tried to remove his fangs. They'd succeeded only to be confronted with another set growing underneath. The scientists had been delighted to learn that vampires upon loosing a fang automatically grew more and to test this exciting new development they'd continued to keep removing the newly grown fangs.

She'd looked up at him, at the blood dribbling from his mouth, at the bruises on his face and his pale and drawn features.

"Why?" She'd muttered.

"Why?" He'd repeated, confused. "Because you have family and friends out there looking for you and you can't give in now. Can't you see that if you give in they've won?!"

"I'm too tired," she'd whispered. "I hurt everywhere and if someone was coming for me by now they'd have come."

"Be realistic, Buffy!" He'd said exasperated at her expectance of an immediate rescue. "This base is hidden so densely we might as well be in the Bermuda triangle. Give them a little time to try and find you."

She'd shook her head and he'd seen the barely held back tears. "You don't understand! If you lose a pack member it's like loosing a limb. You can't go on without them. We're family, the pack its… its…" She'd struggled to find the words.

"What we feel for each other, it doesn't matter that we aren't related, our connection is thicker than blood."

Her voice had grown stronger and Ulrich had noticed her knuckles becoming white where her hands were clenched by her sides.

"When someone's missing or hurt you don't just leave them to, to die a shitty death, you go after them dammit!"

She'd slammed her hands into the floor and tried to get up, but pain tore through her, making her gasp loudly. She'd collapsed back uselessly against the wall she was resting against.

She'd sank her head into her hands, her chest heaving as she battled with the urge to throw up. Ulrich had walked over to her slowly, sat down next to her and wrapped his arms around her. She'd turned and sobbed into his chest for what seemed like hours but what were probably only a few minutes.

"Ssh," he'd whispered soothingly. "It's alright, it'll be okay."

She'd looked up at him, tears tracking down her pale face and when she'd spoken her voice was resigned but laced with bitterness.

"I wouldn't blame them if they didn't come. I mean, I'm practically crippled, what use am I going to be? I can't walk, let alone run and I'm no use to the pack like this." She snorted in derision.

"Angel's already being contested for the title of Pack leader, I'd just be another excuse for Ethan to say that we're weak. And damn him he'd be right as well."

She scrubbed her face with he hands, her eyes puffy and swollen; her voice hoarse.

"He might as well be mated again, I can think of more than one person who'd gladly accommodate him. No wonder Angel hasn't come, he-he's probably living the high life back home - w-what does he need m-me for?"

Her voice cracked as she gave way again to the emotions that had been festering inside her and wept.

The flower of hope turned brown and shrivelled.

-#-#-

Willow growled softly as the magic threatened to swamp her senses completely as she broke through a particularly impressive barrier. Keeping her concentration, she pushed onwards, gently but firmly breaking past each of the wards, which prevented them from accessing the entrance to the base. She worked quickly but there were many wards and it was time-consuming getting the right balance to break a ward but not trigger the counter curse.

Giles checked his watch carefully, noted the time and walked over to Angel, who stood pensively, staring at Willow as though she would vanish if he blinked.

"Angel," he spoke, his voice low.

Angel didn't tear his eyes away from Willow but Giles knew he was listening. "Angel, she's been going at this for nearly four hours without rest. I think it would be wise if Willow stopped and took a break. She's got to be exhausted."

Angel finally turned to face him and Giles was struck by the raw emotions, which were so clearly seen in his eyes. They really were the windows to the soul, he mused. He opened his mouth and then shut it again, and Giles could see in the indecision in his features.

"Look, if Willow takes a break she'll gain back some of her energy and therefore she'll be more careful. If she keeps on like this she's bound to get sloppy and we know what that means."

Angel growled low in his throat, his spat with Giles when he'd first arrived and the subsequent fights still fresh in his mind. They're relationship was still frosty but their mutual wish to get to Buffy mean they had had to put some of their enmity behind them.

"Fine," snapped Angel. "Tell Tara to reach her and sever the connection."

He stalked away from Giles over to where Penn and Oz sat on the ground playing a round of Bloody Black Widow. He slumped down next to them and watched as the elder werewolf walked over to the young blonde who was talking quietly with another young female werewolf by the name of Fred, who was slender with dark hair and fine features. They exchanged a few words and Angel saw Tara glance over at him and then at Willow. She nodded and then went to sit where Willow was sitting in the middle of the warehouse. She joined her hands with Willow's limp ones and then closed her eyes, mirroring Willow's Buddha posture.

After about five minutes Willow came out of her trance like state and opened her eyes. She nodded reassuringly at Tara's gently enquiries and then made to get up. She stumbled slightly, but Tara's lightning reflexes saved her from falling and she helped her walk over to Angel, who watched her progress silently. She smiled at his sullen expression and sat down in front of him, waving away Tara, who smiled softly at her and went to join Fred and Giles who were deep in discussion. Willow studied him closely and Angel avoided looking at her, uncomfortable with her scrutiny. She sighed and scrubbed her face.

"Angel," she said. "I'm nearly through, maybe another one or two hours to go. Only some of the more difficult wards remain, and then we can get through without a problem." He didn't reply but she ploughed on regardless.

"Don't beat yourself up about not being able to find out this was the base site sooner. There was no way you could have known this was anything but an ordinary warehouse, and this place is so heavily guarded and charmed that it's like trying to get into Fort Knox or, or some other really difficult place…" she trailed off but Angel did look a little less depressed, though he still wouldn't meet her eyes. She laid her hand on his arm and at the contact he finally looked up at her.

"Angel I can carry on breaking through now if you really want me too." He shook his head and his voice was low but strong when he spoke.

"No, Willow you've done enough for the moment, Giles is right, you really do need the rest. After all, a pack is only as efficient as it's members." He paused.

"I'm sorry if I seem ungrateful or that I don't care about you all. I'm sure some of the others have noticed it and I suppose falling out with Giles isn't helping matters but I do, that is I mean I do care, and I'm only worried ab…"

Willow stopped him with an upraised hand.

"Angel," she laughed. "You're babbling."

He smiled sheepishly at her and Willow yawned as she realised how tired she actually was.

"Don't give up. We all know you care and you're doing a good job. Once I wake up we'll get back to the rescue. And besides," she muttered sleepily as she curled up next to Oz. "Have a little faith. Buffy's strong. I'm sure she knows we're coming for her."

But Buffy didn't. And the flower of hope died.

-#-#-

Helena, (contrary to the belief of those who worked with her on the base), was not an ice queen.

She did have feelings and she did care, but usually these did not involve other human beings and mainly centred on gaining her own advancement until eventually she would hold the coveted position of power.

Namely, Commissioner Newton's job.

Helena sighed and tapped her fingers idly against the desk she was working on. Her gaze fell on the only picture in the room, in the otherwise rather clinical looking office. It was of the only family member who she had had left.

It wasn't that she didn't have any family, rather that she deliberately chose to ignore that fact.

They had been so determined to stand in the way of her dreams. The only one who had understood her ambition was her Aunt. She herself had been a brilliant scientist and leader, who had encouraged her ambition, and whilst she was still alive had often invited her niece for trips around her base, pointing out the various hostiles which had been captured and that they were working on. Helena remembered the childish glee she had displayed at being allowed to visit this very special facility and being able to work with her Aunt. She had enthusiastically helped plan procedures and watched the soldiers bring in more and more specimens, night after night.

But now that was all gone. Her Aunt was dead and her base now only a charcoal remnant, a cinder filled husk after the explosion, which had decimated everything and everyone that had been in the building. No one had ever found the culprits for it, and the authorities had wiped away all existence of their ever being a secret government operation taking place in Sunnydale, all trace of her Aunt had been destroyed, her good name disgraced.

"We don't want another incident like that," they'd said.

"It was her own fault, she was too arrogant."

"Such a waste."

"But we'll never know who did it."

"Dammed shame."

"Lets forget about the whole mess and pretend it never happened."

Helena snorted derisively. Yes, that was their attitude to everything that didn't go as planned. Let's forget it ever happened. Blame anyone but yourself, was their motto, and if you can't blame anyone living, blame someone who's dead. At least they can't complain. She picked up the picture of her Aunt and traced the features of her face.

Oh, she'd show them. She'd gotton all of the ingredients they needed for their new race of super soldiers and now all she needed was to start putting the whole thing together. It wouldn't take long. A week at most and then…

She was pulled abruptly from her dreams of promotion and rewards by a knock at the door. She put the photo back on the desk, smoothed out her skirt and rotated the chair she was sitting in so that she was now facing the door.

"Come in," she called out, schooling her face into one of neutral detachment. A confidant young man strode in and saluted smartly, before speaking clearly and crisply, and the only reason she knew he was nervous in her presence was the way he studiously avoided her gaze.

"Maam, Commissioner Newton asked me to find out what is to be done about the hostiles who remain within the facility, now that the required ingredients for the project have been obtained."

Helena stood up and turned away to shuffle some papers on her desk into a neat, tidy pile before gathering them up into her arms. She faced the young man with a smile and studied him, as he waited patiently for her answer. Finally she favoured him with a reply.

"You may dispose of all of the remaining hostiles effective immediately," she said and then paused. "Except one. There is a certain hostile, a blonde haired woman who answers to the name of Buffy. You will find her in cell 264 along with a vampire hybrid who may be gotton rid of. I am giving her to you as a special responsibility to ensure she is safely removed. And when I say she is your special responsibility, I mean that I am giving you the freedom to do whatever you deem necessary to the hostile."

There was another deliberate pause and this time the soldier chanced a glance at Helena's cold grey eyes, unhidden behind the designer glasses.

"Anything Maam?"

Helena smirked, and her eyes narrowed. "Yes, soldier, anything you wish to do to the hostile, I am declaring officially authorized, and there will be no repercussions arising from whatever actions you believe obligatory. Do I make myself clear?"

With a sharp nod, the soldier crisply saluted and walked out of the room, leaving Helena Daley a very satisfied woman. Because the government might not have known who blew up the base in Sunnydale but she did. And she would do anything to avenge her Aunt's death. Oh, yes, Buffy Summers would soon learn her mistake. She turned back to the picture on the desk and smiled, a nasty, calculating smile.

Maggie Walsh would have her retribution. With a little help from her niece of course.

-#-#-

It didn't take the young soldier very long to locate the cell in which the hostile he had been given was. He slipped the swipe card through the holder at the side and the bar door swung open. She was quite a looker he decided, even if she was a bit on the thin side. And she'd be fine for what he had planned…

Her head didn't lift up at the smooth click of the bars swinging open. Buffy was no longer much in residence of her body, having retreated inside her head where everything was safer and much quieter. Still, when the now familiar feel of the tranquilliser failed to sink into her skin, Buffy finally roused herself and looked up. Her eyes met icy, black irises and when he smirked she shivered, as he roughly grabbed her jaw in his hands and turned her head as though inspecting her.

"Yes," he murmured. "You'll do." And that was when Buffy began to be truly afraid as she saw the cold lust in his eyes.

"Ulrich!" She tried to cry but her voice was rough and unused and all that came out was a dry rasp, as though someone had poured sand down her throat. Still the soldier heard her and grinned.

"No, no," he laughed and shook his finger at her, as though telling off a naughty child. "Looks like your friend isn't gonna wake up. Not when he's just been dosed up with enough sleeping pills to knock out a sumo wrestler anyway, so looks like it's just you and me." He pushed his face into hers and leered. "And that's just the way I like it."

He picked her up roughly and half carried, half dragged her out of the cell, slamming the door shut behind him. She had no strength to resist him as everything she was had been sapped. She laughed bitterly inside her head. She was about to put up as much resistance as a rag doll.

He dragged her down endless corridors until finally they reached an ordinary brown door with a nameplate on reading:

**H. J. Worthy.**

The soldier felt around in his pocket for a key and then, having found the right one to open the door, pulled her inside.

"Welcome to my home," he breathed into her ear, leaning against the closed door. Her back was pulled up flush against his chest and he tucked some loose strands of her hair behind her ear. He chuckled when he felt her tremble and roughly pushed her onto the bed as he shrugged off his jacket. Seeing her terrified face he looked at her in mock sympathy and tutted disapprovingly.

"Come on, you should be enjoying yourself! What's that line?" He paused, scratching his chin thoughtfully. Suddenly his eyes lit up with remembrance. "Oh yeah, treat 'em mean, keep 'em keen!" He laughed at the revulsion on her face. " Don't worry baby, I'm gonna give you the ride of your life."

-#-#-

The klaxon sounded deep within the base. It was an urgent whirring sound, and the red alarm lights attached to the wall suddenly began to flash, warning the soldiers inside that unauthorized persons had entered the base.

"Well," said Giles wryly. "So much for stealth."

"Shoot," murmured Willow. "Guess I didn't feel that ward. Sorry guys."

Angel smiled reassuringly at her. "You got us in this far, Willow, you've done more than I thought possible. Now were just gonna have to fight it out." He turned to the group following him. "Everyone," he warned. "Be ready to change instantly. We get in, I find Buffy, you blow up the base, and we get out. No-one pulls any hero stuff, am I understood?"

Before they could answer though, there was the sound of booted feet running towards them and as one the group changed. Human skin, leather, cotton and hair moulded, changed and became sleek fur, sharp teeth and bright eyes.

The soldiers didn't stand a chance.

-#-#-

Buffy shut her eyes tightly, a tear escaping her closed lids, sliding down her cheek, as she tried to hold in her sobs. She was going to be raped and there was no-one there to stop him from doing it. She felt like screaming, like beating this bastard senseless but she was powerless to do anything but lie there passively.

"Ssh," murmured the soldier. "I promise I won't hurt you… much." He grinned and licked up the tear, which was trailing down her soft skin. "See now, didn't you…" he was cut off though by the klaxon going off.

"Damm it," he growled angrily. He shrugged his jacket back on and turned back to Buffy, before kissing her roughly on her lips. She grimaced and sunk her teeth into his lips. He yelled in pain and backhanded her, the slap ringing out.

"I'll be back for you, bitch," he promised and walked out, slamming the door behind him.

Buffy smiled, taking pleasure in getting a little revenge; before the smile slid off her face as she remembered his promise to her, and the tears she had been holding back were let loose.

-#-#-

The fighting was bloody and fast. There was no time for guns and though the odds were against them the corridors were narrow and the agile werewolves had the advantage. They were also fuelled with anger and grief for Buffy and this mean they fought harder and more fiercely than their opponents.

_'I'm going to find Buffy'_, mind thought Angel as he snapped the neck of one soldier. _'Wesley, Gunn, Oz come with me. Xander_ _set up the explosives. When we get back make sure you set the timer and then we run.'_

The other werewolves nodded and Gunn, Oz and Wesley broke away from the rest of the group and followed Angel as he turned down a new corridor. It didn't take them long to find new corridors lined with cages, where demons, creatures of all races, types and creeds looked out at him. And it didn't matter what shape they looked like, they all had the same look. One of despair. One of ultimate hopelessness; that they were never going to get out of there.

"Get them out of here," Angel growled, now in human guise, his voice brooking no argument, and the trio nodded, setting about smashing the electrical pads, which opened the cell doors. They slid open smoothly and the demons cautiously headed out, unsure if this was another trick. When it was made clear that it wasn't, Angel addressed the mass.

"I'm looking for my mate," he spoke, unsmilingly. "She's a werewolf, petite, has blonde hair, hazel eyes…"

He was interrupted by a voice from among the demons.

"You mean Ulrich's bitch." A tall, mean looking demon, with blue skin and dark green horns spoke.

"What do you mean Ulrich's bitch?", snarled Angel, clenching his fists as he pushed his way into the crowd, towards the demon, who held up his hands in defence.

"Hey man, no offence, I just assumed cos they seemed pretty close, but maybe I got the wrong impression."

"You sure got the wrong impression," spat Angel, itching for the beast inside him to rip this demon to shreds, and also this Ulrich person who seemed to think he had privileges with Buffy that only he had.

"Now where the hell is she?"

-#-#-

Ulrich found himself roughly shaken awake, a loud, rumbling growling in his ear. He opened his eyes to see four, very pissed off men glaring at him. He sniffed the air and corrected his assessment. Four very pissed off _werewolves_ were glaring at him.

"Ulrich." It wasn't a question.

"Yes and you are?"

"Angel."

Ulrich smiled. So this was Buffy's Angel. He got up slowly and held out his hand to him. Angel glanced at the proffered hand and in that split second Ulrich did something very stupid. He punched him.

Angel snarled and whirled on the man, Oz and Wesley barely holding back Gunn, who was itching to jump in and punch the man for Angel.

"What the hell was that for?" Asked Angel, clicking his jaw back into place.

"That," said Ulrich angrily, clutching his hand, "was for not coming any earlier!"

Angel sighed and raked a hand through his hair.

"I know, and believe me I'm going to make it up to Buffy in every way possible, but for that I need to get her back."

Ulrich nodded. "I was drugged at the time so I can't be sure, but they've either taken her to the experimentation labs or have disposed of her."

"Disposed of her?" asked Wesley horrified.

Ulrich nodded gravely. "They don't need us anymore, now they've gotton what they wanted. If you hadn't of come, I doubt whether we'd have lasted more than few days more."

Angel glanced at the others behind him.

"Then we need to move fast. Wesley, Gunn, get these demons out of here. Oz, I need you to go back to the others and eradicate the remaining soldiers."

Ulrich stepped forward. "I want to help. What can I do?"

Angel looked him up and down, noting his hunched position and tired but determined expression, and shook his head.

"You're about to collapse. You're of no use to me or Buffy so I suggest you just get out of here."

Ulrich opened his mouth to argue, but thought better of it and clamped his mouth shut. With a nod of his head, he limped out of the cell and followed the rush of demons that were trying to exit the building, being firmly herded by Wesley and Gunn, who seemed to be enjoying himself way to much.

Oz followed a moment later, and finally Angel, who took in a deep drag of air, scenting for any sign of Buffy. After a moment he caught it, faint and masked by the smell of blood… he growled at the thought of anyone hurting her and changing, set off at a sprint in the opposite direction of the exodus, his paws, thumping on the sterile floor as he went.

He followed the scent trail to a plain brown door, with a nameplate on it. Not bothering to read it, he pressed against the door with all of his might. The door cracked slightly but remained firm. He backed off a few paces and then threw himself against it once more. Angel kept doing this until finally the door fell forward, landing with a crash on the floor.

He headed inside cautiously, but sensing no one else present, headed over to the bundle sobbing on the bed. Swiftly changing from werewolf to human, Angel reached out a hand to softly touch the now lank and dulled hair on the figures head.

"Buffy?" He asked softly, his fingers almost touching her. There was a sharp gasp and the blonde's head flew up, eyes widening as she backed away.

"No, no, no, no," she moaned.

Angel could only watch in horror as his mate shrank from his touch.

"Buffy," he said desperately, "It's me, An…"

And then the soldier lunged at him from behind, the knife glinting in the light from the ceiling lamp.

-#-#-

**Thanks to all of my reviewers!**

**Please review this story! ****I got twelve reviews this time – which breaks last chapters record. Help me do it again! **

**Please continue to write your support, ideas and general comments, they really are appreciated. **

**Pink Raine:** Glad you liked the flashbacks. I wasn't sure how people would take them when I wrote them in originally but now I'm really pleased with them.

**Dreamer Child: **Thanks for reviewingplease continue : )

**liz : **thanxs for reviewing!Drop a line anytime you feel like.

**Shabopo :** Yeah I like Angel all jealous too. Don't worry blood and carnage coming up next chappie!

**Regan : **Sorry the update was late but glad you reviewed!

**DeLiRiUm3:** Hhmm, u must be telepathic or something cos I was thinking of doing some spin-off stories but I'd have to see what the interest was like before I started doing them. And there you go, see, I did plug your story. Now if you could do the same for me? You know what they say: you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours.

**Me-Spike-4eva** Glad you liked the story. Please keep on reviewing.

**Grace: **Glad you liked the flashbacks and the alterations!

**Slayerchick33** Don't worry Angel's gonna find her soon. Trouble is Buff isn't gonna be herself and there gonna have to get over some probs before they can be all happy and couply again.

**Rbritsmom73 **sorry I didn't update sooner but I was attacked by the writer's block monster that made my life hell.

Thanx !

**Goddessa39** Your wish is my command.

**James Lee Hey** thanx for your comment – sorry you had to wait so long for the next chappie!


	7. Countdown

**Feedback**: Pretty please with a cherry on top! Feedback and criticism (but only constructive) is welcomed and appreciated.

**Disclaimer**: None of it's mine except the storyline, Chuck and Lucille, Commissioner Newtown, Jonah, Ulrich and Helena Daley. If it were, Angel wouldn't have left Buffy in the first place. This is therapy for me. Quotes taken from season 1 and two of BTVS though they may have been changed slightly to suit the author's own storyline.

**Rating**: Pg - 13, for violence

**Pairing**: B/A, minor use of other ships e.g. W/O, S/F  
**  
Summary**: AU. The whole gang are werewolves.

-#-#-

**This chapter is dedicated to all those victims of the tsunami in Asia and all those who have lost loved ones. To those survivors and the aid workers trying to help this is for you. You are in all of our prayers. **

-#-#-

He only just sensed the danger in time and turned, but the knife still caught him in the side, and dragged a line around his stomach, ripping through cloth and flesh.

Launching himself at the man, he wrestled him to the ground, grappling for the knife. Using his legs however, the soldier heaved the werewolf off of him; then reached up to grab a fistful of dark hair and tugged hard, twisting Angel's neck back painfully. He roared in pain and anger as the soldier rolled free, out into the corridor, still clutching his dagger.

Angel got up and ran out after him, intent on exacting his revenge. The soldier leapt out at him, grabbing Angel by the shoulders but Angel shot his knee upward with all his strength. With a satisfying crack, some of the soldier's ribs splintered and he staggered backward, releasing his hold. But the soldier wasn't going out without a fight. He put the pain to the back of his mind and concentrated on the irate man in front of him.

"You touched her!" Snarled Angel, his fangs lengthening as his rage took hold of him. The soldier just had the gall to stare at him and smirk.

"Yeah, and she was a great lay," he lied smoothly, grinning at the other man's pain and fury.

"You touched my mate," growled Angel and his voice became lower, more gravelly. "Now you have to pay for touching what is _mine!"_

Angel changed using his preternatural speed as the soldier reached for his knife. They circled each other slowly, gradually coming closer and closer. With a sudden movement, the soldier lunged forward and caught Angel's muzzle with his knife. The werewolf snarled, blood dripping from the shallow cut, and leapt towards his opponent's crotch.

He sank his fangs into his flesh, though the material of the jeans and holding tightly, pulled. The soldier howled in pain and tried to rip out handfuls of Angel's fur. Ignoring the pain for the moment, Angel suddenly twisted to the left, and with a scream of agony, the soldier fell unconscious.

Satisfied briefly, Angel changed back into his human from, and started in contempt at the pathetic human in front of him. At least he could be satisfied that physically he would be unable to hurt another woman again. He'd never heard of a surgical procedure that could reattach what he'd just ripped off, and still have it work properly.

He turned to back to the room where his trembling mate was crouched against a wall, on a cot. He edged closer slowly, unwilling to risk her becoming even more terrified than she already was.

"Buffy?" He asked softly.

Her eyes flicked up to his and then widened. She ducked her head back down and curled herself up into as small a ball as she could. She began to shake and Angel forgot all about being cautious and rushed over to her.

"Buffy," he said, panic edging into his voice. "Buffy, love, what's the matter?"

She looked up at him, and he realised she was crying. Silent tears streamed down her bruised face, over cracked lips and dripped down onto her quaking body.

"Angel?" It was no more than whisper but he heard it. He cupped her chin in his hands.

"Yes, beloved, it's me", he said, relief flooding through his body that his mate was not totally out of her mind.

She shook her head. "To…too late".

Her eyes suddenly rolled up into the back of her head and she collapsed, Angel catching her before she knocked her head against the wall. He cradled her thin body in his arms, tucking her head into the crook of his shoulder. He strode purposefully out of the room, heading towards the cells where he had spoken to Ulrich. The base was deathly silent, which was unusual and made the wolf in Angel wary, distrusting this sudden stillness.

'_Oz?'_

'_Yes?'_ Came the reply.

'_Where is everyone?'_

'_Wiring up the base with explosives.'_ Angel grinned. It was a long sentence for the reticent werewolf.

'_Right. Spike?'_

'_Yeah?'_

'_Are the rest of the soldiers…'_

'_Dead? Yeah, got all the bastards. Haven't seen sight or sound of any more, so I reckon we've given 'em a fright and they've buggard off.'_

Angel paused in both conversation and walking. He swore he'd just heard something.

He continued walking and stopped suddenly. There was the sound of footsteps, but they stopped too late, echoing off the walls and he snarled. Someone or someone's were following him. He broke into a run and ran around the corner. The footsteps chased after him, all pretence of stalking silently was dropped, and he glanced behind.

Dammit. Soldiers were pouring out of the cracks like woodworm, and he'd walked straight into an ambush.

'_Spike?'_

'_Here mate.'_

'_You know those soldiers who'd buggard off?'_

'_Yep.'_

'_They're after me.'_

'_Oh. Shit.'_

'_My sentiments exactly.'_

'_We'll be on our way.'_

'_No Spike. Finish wiring the building and then get the pack out of the building. Set the detonation for five minutes.'_

'_What! And risk the chance of blowing up you and Buffy? Forget it.'_

'_Spike'._ He growled mentally. _'Now is not the time to be defying me.'_

Spike submitted reluctantly. _'Fine, but if you and the chit get it, don't blame me.'_

'_Spike!'_

'_Whatever. Five minutes.'_

Angel glanced behind him. The soldiers were pouring out thick and fast and he knew his only chance was to run. There were too many for him to fight and Buffy needed urgent medical assistance. Her heart was only a low murmur to his ears and he pressed a kiss to her temple as they hurried through the maze of corridors.

-#-#-

Gunn fixed the final wire in place and then followed the retreating pack outside into the gloom of a cloudy day in L.A. The sun was hidden behind thick, dark clouds and a storm was sure to be coming. Escaping demons and other species of non-humans were fleeing the building in droves, like rats from a sinking ship and the group watched them leave passively.

_Four minutes. _

Willow bit her lip nervously and gripped Oz's hand.

'Come on, come on,' she thought apprehensively, counting down the seconds in her head, with a kind of dread that sank deep down to rest like a lead weight on the bottom of her stomach. The others were dealing with their worry in other ways. Spike was walking up and down, growling softly to himself. Faith was determinedly scraping away at a piece of mud on her boots, trying to ignore her fears.

But it was Dawn and Conner who Willow was most concerned about. They were still figures, sitting on the grass, hands clasped tightly together, gazing at the army base. Neither made any movement, as though they had been carved in stone.

-#-#-

_Three minutes. _

He was lost. Completely and utterly lost and that was an incredibly embarrassing thing for a werewolf to admit to. He sniffed the air and found a slight trace of the pack. The problem was that blood completely masked any other smell that may have helped him get out. Bodies lay strewn on the floor and he kept stumbling over them. There was no time to stop and change and he couldn't carry Buffy as a wolf, even if he could transform. The soldiers weren't firing and it made him wonder why, but there was no time to dwell on the subject. All he could think of now was escape.

-#-#-

_Two minutes._

The air was filled with nervous anticipation. Xander felt slightly hysterical, completely out of depth. His best friend, bar Willow, and his pack leader were escaping from a building wired with so many explosives that nothing would survive if it went up. Buffy was likely to be seriously wounded from whatever they'd done to her, and they had less than two minutes. Xander was always the clown and had always managed to make light of situations like this.

Not now.

-#-#-

_One minute. _

Oh god, there was nowhere to go.

He swore he'd already run past these cells before, but everything looked the same and they didn't have exit signs in this place. He felt slightly desperate, unsure of how much time he had left and his leg muscles were starting to cramp up. He risked a glance behind him, but the soldiers were close behind him. If only he could just…

And then the base exploded.

-#-#-

**Ooh, it's a cliffy. I know, I'm mean.**

**Thanks to all of my reviewers!**

**PLEASE REVIEW THIS STORY! **

**Please continue to write your support, ideas and general comments, they really are appreciated. **

**Thanks to those people who did review this story, your efforts are appreciated.**

**dalmatiangrl2 :** I'm glad you like my story. Go B/A shippers! Keep the love alive!

**Kris: **Well I did update… a month or so later. Soz!

**Tutu: **Hi! I'm glad you like my story; I hate writing action scenes because I find them so incredibly difficult. I know there are a lot of Buffy-werewolf fics out there and I have read "Wolf Pack" by Baby Blues. However, what's the fun in trying to nick someone else's story? I go for originality and I'm glad you think it is so unique. I think however, I may be in for a slapping as I was so late in updating.

**Willow-189: **She won't act completely like Drusilla, but she will be scared and unsure, and this is to be expected after what she's been through. She needs to be coaxed out of the shell she's retreated into, and need a lot of medical attention and love. Will Buffy recover? Will she survive the explosion to recover? It remains to be seen…

**Goddessa39**: Hey, don't worry about babbling. It's kind of cute. Now, to answer all of your questions:  
_Is she gonna be crazy kind of like Druscilla?_ Slightly, but not completely. She feels safer in her head because nothing can hurt her there, but with a little love and attention she should make a full recovery.  
_Is she gonna be kind of afraid of men, except for her Angel, and her son now?_ Yep, but I think her fear may manifest itself into anger, so the other sex better watch out. This is allhinges on whether she survives the blast of course.

**MaLooLa:** Ooh, a convert. I'm glad you've stuck with it. I'm happy you like it, but it isn't modelled after Anita Blake as I haven't read any of those Anne Rice novels. I've only got The Vampire Lestat and Interview with a Vampire, but I take it as a compliment. I'm nowhere near that sort of standard.

**Slayerchick33:** Why thank you. She has been tortured and almost raped; he didn't get the chance to do anything to here because the siren sounded for him to fight. Fortunately for our heroine Angel came and saved the day, but the trauma of the incident will still be fresh in her mind. Of course, this is all dependant on whther she survives the blast. Thanks for the advice.: )


	8. Death's Wolf

**Feedback**: Pretty please with a cherry on top! Feedback and criticism (but only constructive) is welcomed and appreciated.

**Disclaimer**: None of it's mine except the storyline, Chuck and Lucille, Commissioner Newtown, Jonah, Ulrich, Doctor Muerte and Helena Daley. If it were, Angel wouldn't have left Buffy in the first place. This is therapy for me. Quotes taken from season 1 and two of BTVS though they may have been changed slightly to suit the author's own storyline.

**Rating**: Pg - 13, for violence

**Pairing**: B/A, minor use of other ships e.g. W/O, S/F  
**  
Summary**: AU. The whole gang are werewolves.

-#-#-

**Warning: Character death **

**(Author chuckles evilly)**

-#-#-

There was no way they were dead.

No one was accepting the possibility that Angel and Buffy could not be alive. It was just an unthinkable idea – one that they were trying to repress. There wasn't much of the building left standing, and piles of rubble lay scattered on the floor, as though God had been playing building blocks and childishly knocked them over.

At the moment they were searching through the rubble, shifting piles and piles of it, but the more they removed, the more there seemed to be. Progress was slow and it was with no small amount of gratitude that everyone was relived when Ethan and his remaining pack turned up to help. Tara and Penn, (who were Ethan's scouts),were of course already here and they greeted their pack with half hearted smiles, emotions strained too much to give proper welcome.

It was with a heavy heart that Giles informed the rest of the group what had happened. Ethan looked shocked, unusual for a man who was normally shrewd, calculating and who played with a poker face. But it was Doyle, Buffy's half-brother who took it hardest. Ignoring the sympathetic gazes cast in his direction, he shrugged off the comforting arms of his mate, Tara, and continued his search through the rubble, his face hard and unyielding.

It didn't take the police long to arrive, and when they did, the three packs made themselves scarce, watching as the police, along with assorted fire and ambulance crew searched through the wreckage. Bodies of soldiers soon began to be pulled from beneath the building, being tagged and bagged in black body bags to be taken to the city morgue to be identified later. Work continued late into the night and with each new body that appeared hope that Angel and Buffy could be alive soon faded.

It was only when one of the firemen gave a shout that the pack were given the news they had been dreading. The fireman and two other members pulled a tall, dark haired man out from underneath half of what looked like a stairwell and a door, followed by a petite, young, blonde woman. The ambulance workers were soon over and put the man onto a stretcher into the waiting ambulance. The group breathed a collective sigh of relief. Angel was alive. Wounded but miraculously still breathing. But what about Buffy? One of the ambulance women bent down and put her fingers to the blonde's neck, feeling for a pulse. She waited twenty seconds before straightening up and shook her head.

Buffy was put in a body bag.

-#-#-

"No," said Connor stubbornly. "She's not dead."

Giles put a hand on his shoulder but Connor shrugged it off, eyes blazing with anger.

"She's not dead , I would have felt it!"

"Connor," argued Giles, his voice choked. "We're all upset and grieved at the moment but …"

"I DON'T CARE. SHE'S NOT DEAD!"

"Connor!" Reprimanded Giles, running his fingers through his hair tiredly.

Connor shook his head backing away from the Clan and took a hiccuping breath, trying to master his emotions.

His chest was heaving, his body trembling. "I don't care," he said his voice quiet but determined. "She's my Mom and I know she's alive. If you aren't gonna do anything about it I am." And with that he turned, changing into his wolf form as he ran in the direction of the city morgue.

Dawn turned to head after her twin. "I'm going with him. We'll be back…with Mom." Without another word she was also gone.

Giles took his glasses off and wiped them with shaking hands. Spike clasped a hand on the older man's shoulder.

"Look mate, I'll go after the pups if you want and you can take the rest of the clan back to the hotel." Giles placed his glasses back on his nose and looked sharply at Angel's beta.

"Yes, go. They're upset and confused - which is no state for anybody to be in. Meet us at Gaia's hospital."

Spike looked at him confused. "Why there?"

"Because, Angel's been taken to a mortal hospital. When they realise he isn't entirely human we'll be …"

"Up shit creek without a paddle?"

Giles shot Spike a look. "Not exactly what I was about to say, but the sentiment is correct. We'll bring him to a Gaia's, he can be treated there without standing out from the crowd."

Giles glanced at Doyle who was being craddled by Tara, her hands stroking her fingers through his hair as he sat on the pavement, staring into nothing, tears running down his face.

"I'll try and cope with things here." The older man sighed. "Go."

-#-#-

Connor crept silently through the open basement window of the morgue. It was dark but he could smell dead bodies a mile away and he knew that this is where they would have put Buffy.

'But she's not dead,' his mind reassured him. 'You've just come to collect her from here.'

Changing slightly, so he could see in the dark, his eyes widened when he saw the rows and rows of bodies laid out in front of him, only the outlines could be made out under the body bags. How was he meant to tell which was his Mom?

It appeared they were being labelled and cooled so as to prevent decomposition, but not every body had gotton round to being put away. Suddenly he heard the sound of footsteps heading this way and he ducked behind a large table, as the door swung open and the light flickered on.

"Which one next Ronnie?" Came a gruff voice. Connor wrinkled his nose. This man needed some serious deodorant.

"It's your turn to pick Bob, man, I did it last time," came a whiny voice. Connor peered over the table edge. A thin lanky man – obviously Ronnie – had his arms folded facing a larger, beefy man, who had large sweat patches spilling out from underneath his arms and over the swathes of fat surrounding him. This appeared to be Bob.

"Um, hey what about this one here," said Bob, pointing a podgy finger at a body bag directly in front of him.

"Yeah okay." Ronnie turned and Connor could see a grin break out on his face.

"Hey man, lets see what's in bag number 3?" Snorting in disgust, Connor watched as the two men unzipped the bag and looked under the cover.

"Hey hey, jackpot Bob. Seems you've picked a lady." Connor's ears pricked up. Was this his Mom?

"Pretty thing wasn't she?" Bob nodded, causing his three chins to ripple after him.

"Come on Ronnie, they'll be waiting for the next one and you know what they get like when we deliver 'em late."

"Alright," and saying so the two men zipped the bag back up and hefted it roughly between them, before carrying it through the doors. They didn't bother to switch the light off and Connor watched through one of the room's windows as they turned left and passed by.

He made to move when someone poked him in the back.

"Jeeze," he yelped. "Dawn, don't do that again." His sister just grinned mischievously at him.

"Aw, but it's just so much fun."

Connor glared. "Come on, I think I've found Mom, but if we don't hurry she's gonna have her autopsy now. Follow me." He headed to the door, poking his head around the corner before waving at his sister to come too. Cautiously making their way along the corridor, Connor followed the nauseating smell of sweat and death, before pulling up abruptly, beside a white, clinical looking room.

"She's in there."

"Yeah but how are we gonna get her out?" Connor peered through one of the windows, seeing the body bag being placed on metal table, with Bob, Ronnie and several other people decked out in surgical gloves and masks peering over it.

"I think we're gonna have to do a dash and grab. There's quite a few people in there and I don't want them waving those knives at me."

"So we're gonna - Spike don't do that!" Dawn jumped as Spike put his hand on her shoulder.

"Now what exactly do you two pups think you're doin'?"

Connor's eyes hardened. "Listen, if you think Mom's dead…"

Spike cut him off his eyes glinting. "What do you think you're gonna do eh?" He glanced through the window. "You have to accept it sometime. The building collapsed, they took her to the mortuary and now they've put her on the table and – oh no."

"What? What is it?" asked Conner, peering though the window. Buffy was laid out naked on the table and the surgeons were preparing to slice through the chest cavity.

"We've gotta get into there now," said Connor heading for the door. "Before they hurt her even more…"

And then what everyone thought was a corpse began to scream.

Before the others could even get into the room, the door banged open as the surgeons ran, faces white and hearts racing out into the corridor, screaming themselves as they ran from the dead body that shrieked. As everyone departed Spike, Dawn and Connor rushed into the room, the screaming stopping abruptly. Connor covered her up in Spike's coat, as Buffy's chest rose and fell. Her skin was deathly white and she was unconscious but alive. Spike stood back in amazement, eyes wide, as he took in the scene.

"Well, I'll be damned, she is alive."

Connor smiled triumphantly. "See I told you…"

"Kid, you finish that sentence, it'll be you on that table. Now, come on we got get Buffy to Gaia's," said Spike, picking her up. "Before other weird shit starts happening," he muttered to himself, as he followed them out.

-#-#-

By the time they'd reached Gaia's, Angel had already been seen to and patched up nicely. His healing made the job much quicker and had prevented him from sustaining much worse injuries than he should have had. Now he only had a large gash across his face and a few broken ribs. It hurt to move too much, but there wasn't much else they could do for him, his metabolism destroying the painkillers and sedatives quickly, as soon as they'd entered his bloodstream.

Buffy had been rushed off to surgery as soon as Spike had entered the place. The Clan had clamoured around the trio, asking what had happened and Spike had let Connor explain it all, seeing as it was only through his belief that they had managed to rescue Buffy as well. When everything had subsided slightly Giles had quietly taken Connor aside.

"I'm sorry I doubted you," he said, his eyes serious and contrite.

Connor shook off his apology. "Forget it," he said. "Mom's alive and that's all that matters." Giles had smiled.

"You'll make a very good clan leader one day Connor."

Now they were all seated in a family room, waiting for a doctor to come and report on Buffy's condition. Nervous anticipation filled the air as the hours passed by. Finally someone came.

"Hello," said the young woman who entered through the swinging doors. "I'm Doctor Muerte and I'll be looking after Buffy." She smiled brightly at the group, clipboard in hand and blonde hair neatly tucked into a bun at the back of her head.

"Is she alright?" Asked Angel desperately.

The doctor gave him a sympathetic glance. "Well," she said, "Buffy's wounds were extensive, and it's only through the strength of her beast that Buffy's managed to survive for so long.You say she was taken to the morgue as dead?"

The group nodded. "Well I would surmise that was because her beast was the only thing keeping her alive.She probably was technically dead for a minute or two, as her spirit tried to sort out the many problems she's got." Doctor Muerte looked down at her notes.

"She's had to have a fasciotomy, and we've treated the other injuries and burns she's sustained. It was touch and go for a while, but she'll be fine."

"What's a fasciotomy?" said Dawn nervously.

"Well, your Mom had two broken legs," said the Doctor. "With the nature of her injuries the swelling was so severe within the leg that it cut off the blood flow to it. This can cause damage to muscles and nerves of the leg and if it isn't treated quickly than amputation may be necessary. A fasciotomy is the operation performed to relieve this pressure." She smiled down at Dawn kindly.

"Fortunately, your Mom didn't need an amputation, but she'll need to keep off her feet for a while. So it looks as though you'll be doing the housework for some time." The doctor chuckled and then straightened, looking at the assembled group.

"Buffy's progress will be slow but steady and she should be out of the intensive care unit in a couple of weeks, due to her advanced healing. It shouldn't be too long before she's back into one of the other wards." There was a moment as they took some time to digest that Buffy would be okay, before whoops and yells of delight sounded through the room. Doctor Muerte tried to make herself heard over the din.

"Well, if that's all, I'll be going…"

"Can we see her?" asked Angel, catching her arm on the way out.

Doctor Muerte paused and a shadow passed over her features. "Buffy's been through a very traumatic experience. Though she's sleeping now, the drugs will soon wear off and we aren't sure what the state of her mind will be when she wakes up."

She looked at their worried faces. "I'll put it bluntly. Buffy was nearly raped and she's liable in the state she's in to attack any male she feels uncomfortable around or who is in the close proximity to her." She glanced at Angel, Doyle and then Connor. "Excepting her husband, son, and brother, the rest of you are in danger of being attacked by her if you go in the room at the moment."

Xander looked at the doctor in disbelief.

"But she's got two broken legs! How's she gonna attack us with her injuries?"

Doctor Muerte shook her head. "It won't matter. You'll put her into a flight or fight situation and when that happens the mind will overcome the pain, to make sure she doesn't receive anymore."

Xander smiled stubbornly. "Buffy's our friend. She'd never hurt us."

The doctor smiled at him strangely. "If you're that determined to see her, come with me. I've something to show you."

-#-#-

Doctor Muerte led them along whitewashed corridors, smelling of patchouli and thyme, mixed with the underlying scent of bleach and magik. Finally they stopped outside a dimly lit room and the doctor turned to them.

"Now," she said. "When Buffy wakes up she'll be groggy and disorientated, so I suggest only a small group go in and see her first."

The clan conferred quietly over who would go in. The chosen group consisted of Angel, Dawn, Connor, Willow, Faith and Xander. Doyle quietly demured, saying he would go in next.

"Right," said the doctor. "To minimise any risk of Buffy being distressed, Xander will be the only male in there – excepting her husband and son, and perhaps," she bit her lip, tilting her head to the side as if thinking. "Perhaps if Xander stays at the back of the group, so he's shielded by the females. Okay, is that alright with you?"

They nodded and the doctor opened the door to the room, moving out of the way to avoid the crush as Angel, and everyone else headed directly for Buffy. She turned to the remaining clan.

"I'll come back out in a bit, if you want to go and grab a coffee there's a café down this corridor."

Meanwhile Angel was sitting next to Buffy's hospital bed, one hand grasped tightly in his, whilst Connor was on the other side. Tears stained Angel's cheeks as he watched his tiny, fragile wife sleeping in the overly large bed. Connor smiled across at him.

"She's gonna be okay, Dad," he whispered, a smile catching his lips. Angel just nodded, thanking the Moon for sparing his mate. His thoughts were interrupted however, when Buffy stirred.

"Angel?" The voice was a raspy whisper.

"I'm here beloved," he said, squeezing her hand gently.

She blinked, trying to clear the fogginess that clouded her vision. She frowned, noticing a large cut running across his face.

"You're hurt."

Angel looked at her oddly. "Says the woman who's lying injured in a hospital bed."

Buffy tensed at the mention of being in a hospital and made as though about to get up. Angel pushed her gently, but firmly back down onto the bed.

"No, Buffy, I know how much you hate these places but this is Gaia's. Your safe, nothing can hurt you here." Buffy relaxed slightly, listening to the soothing words and turned her head to the right. She smiled at her son, who looked as though he thought she might disappear in a moment.

"Connor."

Her voice was soft and hoarse.

_...It's from_ _what they did to you... _There was a small voice in the back of her head_. ...__It's time you did a little payback..._

Buffy frowned, shoving the dark thoughts away from her and concentrating on the boy clasping her hand.

"Mom," he said, his voice cracking with emotion.

"Hey baby, it's okay." She squeezed his hand, coughing slightly from having to speak.

'_We'll talk later.'_ Connor nodded and then made room for Dawn to come greet Buffy.

"Mom," she cried.

Buffy grinned as Dawn flung her arms around her.

"Ow," she winced feeling her body protest. "Not so tight Dawnie."

"Sorry," murmured Dawn, pulling back, smiling. "How'd ya feel?"

Buffy lay back in the pillows. _...You want to kill something very badly..._ The voice was growling now.

..._You want to make them hurt like they hurt you, sink your teeth into their throats, feel that sweet, flowing bloo-_

"I'm fine."

There was a snort from the end of the bed and Buffy looked down, squinting to make out the figures.

"Faith?"

"Heya B, looking great as always." Buffy rolled her eyes. Things were back to normal.

"Thanks." The figures moved closer and she caught a flash of red hair.

"Will?"

"Yeah," said Willow, "I'm here…" Willow continued to speak but Buffy tuned her out as her beast suddenly stirred.

_...It's one of them..._ The voice was insistant now ..._One of those who hurt you_...

'No,' argued Buffy. 'Angel said nothing would hurt me here.'

_...But Angel also said he would come back quickly didn't he? And where was he all that time you were hurting? No-one came for you then did they? Angel doesn't speak the truth. Ignore him and trust your senses. Trust yourself... _

Buffy frowned. The voice was speaking sense. Angel had said he would be back. _"I'll be back in a bit with Penn and Spike and everything will be fine love, you'll see."_

Those were his exact words.

_...And look what happened!..._

Buffy sat up, ignoring Angel's concerned words about sitting up and minding her injuries. All she could concentrate on was the man swimming on the periphery of her vision.

Waiting, circling like a shark about to attack it's pray.

Waiting for the moment to attack its prey.

Waiting to attack.

Waiting…

She leapt, the tubes and drips tearing from her flesh as she jumped from the bed at the man who dared to come and haunt her. Ignoring the screams from her body and from her friends, she landed on the man's chest, knocking him over.

_...That's it!..._ The voice was blood and anger and cruel laughter now. _...Make him pay for what he did to you! What they all did! All those tests, all those experiments. The abuse...this is vengeance..._

Hands were clawing at her, trying to tear her away from the body underneath her, but she fought back, savouring the look of fear on his face as she wrapped her hands around his neck, squeezing the life out of him. Someone was crying her name, but she ignored them as she sank her claws deeply into the soft body underneath her, before dragging them sharply downwards.

Her claws ripped, shredded- something wet splattered on her face and body, spurting across the bed and walls. She breathed in deeply, inhaling the scent of fear and blood - before she was ripped away from him, to meet a pair of golden eyes, staring at her in shock and horror. She growled, trying to escape, but the grip tightened and she felt a pressure on her neck, before succumbing to the darkness, which claimed her.

Angel looked down at his mate, held to his chest and covered in dark, sticky blood. He looked up, staring at the others, unable to grasp what he'd just seen. His eyes followed the trail of blood, which led from Buffy to her victim. He buried his face in Buffy's hair.

'Oh God, Buffy, what have you done?'

There was no need for anyone to check for a pulse.

The room was spattered in blood.

Too much blood.

Xander's blood.

Xander was dead.

-#-#-

**Thanks to all of my reviewers!**

**PLEASE REVIEW THIS STORY! **

**Please continue to write your support, ideas and general comments, they really are appreciated. **

**Thanks to those people who did review this story, your efforts are appreciated.**

**Dark Slayer:** It seems everyone hates cliffy's but they're a writers best frined. You keep the audience hooked and make sure they keep reading.

**Oppy: **Jeeze, you people want updates like, immediately. lol. Well, I've tried my best, and I'm glad you like the tweaked history and stuff, I've tried hard to make it make sense, without going into great biographical detail about Buffy's revised life.

**JayJay88: **There you go, hope you liked the chapter, hopes its sated your need for more, but not enough that you won't stop reading ; ) .lol.

**Slayerchick33: **Well I granted your wish, they didn't die, but, well someone had to. Author grins evily. Oh I do love putting my characters through hell.

**never look back: **Well, it's never too late to read great fanfiction. Lol. And this reminds you of Blood and Chocolate? My life, that must be one of the highest compliments I've ever received. Thank you so much. You can review any time ; )

**Buff:** As ever, you are your understated self, but that one word from you makes me so happy. I know I have the seal of approval. lol.

**Liz:** Thank you for the compliment. And yes, it was evil, but then I'm the author from hell. lol

**Goddessa39: **Well, you were right. Buffy did survive the blast. Sadly Xander had to go in her place. Glad you understand my reasoning behind Buffy being slightly loopy, and hopefully I've shown in this chapter what would happen when this fear becomes anger. And Ethan's here. Of course Penn and Tara were already here, and though Ethan does like chaos and he doesn't really like Angel and Buffy he'd only wanted the title of Clan chief. He didn't want Angel dead, just deposed. Even he's a little bit shocked, which is saying something. And I _knew_ you'd have to say something about my chapter lengths. lol. So, for your delectation and delight I've have now created this chapter, a chapter which is the size of Wales. I hope you understand this is all your fault ; )

**Mickeyblueeyes: **I know, I know, it's been a while, but hey look at this. An update in two weeks; impressive no?

**Willow-189:** Yep, don't you just love me. lol. I know that last chapter was a bit short, so this time I've created a really long chapter to counter balance it.

**Blondiegrl:** Well they survived. Poor Xander. Pity he didn't.


	9. Old Faces

**Feedback**: Pretty please with a cherry on top! Feedback and criticism (but only constructive) is welcomed and appreciated.

**Disclaimer**: None of it's mine except the storyline, Chuck and Lucille, Commissioner Newtown, Jonah, Ulrich, Doctor Muerte and Helena Daley. If it were, Angel wouldn't have left Buffy in the first place. This is therapy for me. Quotes taken from season 1 and two of BTVS though they may have been changed slightly to suit the author's own storyline.

**Rating**: Pg - 13, for violence

**Pairing**: B/A, minor use of other ships e.g. W/O, S/F  
**  
Summary**: AU. The whole gang are werewolves,

-#-#-

"So as you can see, if I had allowed you in there that's what would have happened to you."

Xander was breathing heavily, his face pasty white. He looked drained and shocked and he wasn't the only one who looked like that. Most of the rest of the combined packs looked the same and only Angel looked unaffected, though this was clearly a façade, his fists clenching and unclenching; the look in his eyes was steely and unreadable.

Giles took his glasses from the bridge of his nose and wiped them, and though when he spoke his voice was calm and firm his hands were shaking.

"And you are a …?"

"Grimm," said Doctor Muerte. "I can see all of the possible deaths one person can have."

"Nice. Now there's a demon you want to party with," said Xander, his face regaining some of the colouring it had lost.

The Doctor looked at him, but her eyes seemed to look through him and Xander took a step back. "It has its uses." She tilted her head to the left as she gazed at Xander and then smirked. "Interesting."

"What?" Xander looked at her fearfully, but she deliberately ignored him and spoke to Angel.

"Your wife needs serious help to sooth her psyche, because at the moment as soon as she comes into contact with anyone of the male gender, bar you, your son and her brother, she's not going to stop until they're dead. And this city doesn't need a mad werewolf on the loose."

"So what are you suggesting?" Asked Angel, his voice unusually rough and deep.

"Buffy needs closure from what happened to her. At the moment she has nobody who can give her that. You need to find someone male, preferably who she was close to, who was there with her and can give her the help she needs."

Angel's eyes narrowed. "And what if we can't find someone?" He asked, his voice silky soft, belying the hidden danger underneath it.

Doctor Muerte shook her head. "Then I'm afraid you wife would have to be put into a mental institution or into a secure unit, because she's a danger to herself and those around her." Angel's fist slammed into the wall next to him, leaving a rather large hole in the plaster.

"No." It was one word, but it was all that needed to be said. Doctor Muerte tried again.

"Sir, if your wife starts kil…"

"I will not allow it to happen," said Angel, eyes flashing. "We'll find someone- there were plenty of demons there…" his voice trailed off as he thought. His hand came up to touch his jaw, remembering the vampire who had punched him, for not coming earlier to rescue his mate.

"Ulrich."

-#-#-

Angel left the hospital like a man possessed.

He took with him Oz, Gunn and Wesley, knowing they were the ones who would recognize the vampire's scent, having come into contact with him in the base. Now, they had the difficult task of tracking a practically human vampire, who could be anywhere in the Los Angeles area, with only a vaguely remembered scent to go on and no way of knowing if he had even survived the blast.

They weren't put off by the overwhelming odds though. Each of them knew what would happen if they could not find Ulrich. Angel was silent and calm but inside he was a wreck. What the doctor had shown them was disturbing and horrific and Angel never wanted to see it again. Watching his beloved tear open her friend's stomach had made him realise the terrible mental state that she was in, and he knew that if she did escape and started killing people, even if it wasn't her fault per se, he would have to deliver the justice of the pack.

He would have to kill her because she was endangering others and the safety of the pack, and it was with a heavy heart that Angel knew the responsibility would fall to him. And the most frightening thing was that he didn't know if he could do it or not.

And that was the big question.

If it came down to it could he do his duty and kill his mate?

-#-#-

Wesley watched Angel out of the corner of his eyes as they ran though the back alleys of L.A from the site of the base where Ulrich's faint scented still existed, following the light trail over the other scents of the big city.

The air smelled of smoke and petrol fumes, sweat, burgers and garbage, which spilled out of the plastic bins and littered the alley streets. Each scent had it's own distinguishing feature and sometimes Wesley wished his sense of smell wasn't quite so acute. For instance, garbage smelled like someone had slapped him with a dirty sock. Someone was having spaghetti bolognaise and he stated to salivate, almost able to taste the rich Italian tomato sauce on his tongue.

He slowed down as Angel stopped running, and turned from the back streets out into the main street. Wesley inhaled. The scent was definitely stronger but the werewolf frowned. They seemed to be in a fairly well off neighbourhood, as he looked at the expensive designer shops which stood next to each other, each window display trying to out do the one next to it. Posh apartment blocks reached up towards the skies, doormen, dressed smartly in black manned them, eyes gleaming from underneath their hats. What was a fairly run of the mill vampire doing in an area like this?

The group followed Angel as they walked over to a particular block of apartments and made to go into the entrance, trying to look as unsuspicious as possible. Fat chance. The doorman put his hand out and barred the door.

"Where do you lot think you're going?"

Wesley decided to speak, not trusting Angel not to do the man serious damage. He could see he was just about ready to have a breakdown and the last thing they wanted was to be sleeping in jail that night. Besides Angel wasn't exactly looking his best, being blown up and knowing your mate could possibly be insane could do that to a man.

"We've come to visit our friend." The doorman raised an eyebrow.

"Sorry. No pass. Nobody's told me they had friends visiting today."

"It's a surprise visit." Wesley kept his face perfectly neutral.

The doorman shook his head and waved his arms to start shooing them away.

"Listen, it was a nice attempt, but there's no way your getting in there without some sort of identification and the real reason why you're here."

Wesley tried one last ditch attempt before they knew they'd have to get in with force.

"All we want to do is see Ulrich." The man's face immediately changed at the name of the vampire, morphing into one of complete distrust, but keeping his eyes firmly fixed on them he went over to the buzzer and pressed for floor number 7.

"Luke, tell the Master, he has someone who wants to see him by the name of…" There was a pause as he waited for a name from the quartet.

"Angel," said Wesley, knowing that Ulrich would recognise that name the most readily out of the group. Wesley noticed Angel had stiffened as the doorman said the word 'master', and he knew he was thinking about the time that Kendra had been killed by Master Nest in Sunnydale, only to be revived by Xander using CPR. Why would the doorman be calling your common garden-variety vampire Master? Unless there was something they didn't know…

"Angel," the man repeated. "Angel and three of his companions."

There was a brief pause while they waited for an answer. Finally the doorman nodded.

"Okay," he said to the buzzer and switched it off as the door swung open. "The Master will see you. Floor Seven. Luke will show you to him."

"Thank you," said Wesley as the group slid in through the doors, but he couldn't help but notice the way the man's eyes seemed to follow them as they made their way to the lift.

Gunn whistled. "Nice place," he said as he admired the chandelier hanging from the lobby ceiling.

"Hmm," said Angel. "Nice and expensive too. And did you notice the doorman kept calling Ulrich, 'master'? There's definitely something we don't know about him," he growled. "But I'm going to find out".

They got into the waiting lift and pressed the number 7 button, the doors closed and the lift began its quick ascent upward, the group fidgeting as they waited to come to a stop. 15 seconds later the doors opened and they were greeted by a young man in his early twenties, with soft blonde hair swept down over his dark green eyes.

"Follow me," he said softly.

He led them through a spacious open plan living room through what appeared to a small sitting room and then through another door to a large library/office style room. Ulrich was standing with his back to them, staring out of the window. Which was another thing. Why wasn't he screaming in pain as he burnt in the sunlight?

Without turning round he motioned for them to come in and sit down. Luke walked up behind him and said something, but the boy was so softly spoken the werewolves could hear nothing. Ulrich nodded once and Luke walked out of the room, closing the door behind him, with a gentle click.

"I must say I didn't expect to see you again." He turned to face them, eyes dark and serious as he studied each of them in turn, but mostly his eyes were fixed on Angel.

"And as happy as I am to see that you all survived the explosion, I don't think this is a social call." Angel opened his mouth to speak but Ulrich raised his hand.

"I know what you've come for, Luke has just informed me." He ignored the confused glances they shot at each other and continued speaking.

"We can leave immediately if you want."

"No," said Angel. "Not until you explain a couple of things."

"Such as?"

"Why you can walk in the sunlight; why they call you Master; and how the hell you know what we came to see you for?"

Ulrich shook his head, but his lips twitched upwards, as though he was trying to suppress a smirk.

"I would have though that saving Buffy would have been more important than answering these questions," he said and he smiled derisively at the look Angel shot him.

"I'm doing this for her," he snarled. "Frankly I don't trust you," he said, eyes gleaming gold. "You're not the same vampire she knew in the base and I'm not letting you anywhere near her unless you explain yourself."

Ulrich nodded and sat down in a tall leather chair, back resting on one armrest, legs casually resting over the other arm.

"Alright," he acquiesced. "Speak on."

"Why are they calling you Master?" Said Gunn, staring at the vampire with hard eyes.

"Because tomorrow I am to become Master of Chicago." He smiled at their surprise and laughed. "Yes, I had the same reaction. After the base exploded I made my way to my previous abode." He motioned with his hands to the apartment they were now standing in.

"Apparently, you misjudged me as a common vampire. I am third in line to receiving Edward's throne."

"Edward?" Asked Wesley.

"The Master of Chicago at the moment. There was, excuse me, there _is_ Markus and Dahlia in line before me, but sadly they will all be dying at midnight tonight, in an ancient blood rite which will go terribly wrong." Ulrich's smile of satisfaction belied his words of sadness. "Which means that I am the next vampire in line still alive."

"But how do you know all of this?" Questioned Angel warily.

"Because Luke is a prophet, which means he is very good at giving me reliable information that I would not have known until tomorrow."

"So that's how you know what's going on with Buffy?"

He nodded. "Yes. Luke informed me just now." He paused. "Is that everything?"

"No," said Oz, speaking up for the first time since his arrival. The reticent werewolf had sat and listened to the conversation around him, absorbing everything and watching Ulrich carefully and now he spoke, wondering if they could trust this vampire that they needed to save Buffy.

"Ah, yes, why am I not a pile of ashes?" Ulrich's dark blue eye's clouded for a moment with remembered pain. "The experiments the Initiative performed on me were quite brutal. Gradually they began to find ways to get rid of my vampirism and turn me back into the mortal I once was. Fortunately," he said and here he grinned at Angel. "You blew them up before they could finish the job. Now it seems as though I've kept all of the traits of a vampire but with none of the setbacks. I'm not affected by the sunlight, I don't have an aversion to holy things and a stake won't kill me. Most of the human frailties they gave me, breathing, an immune system have disappeared, I've reverted back to how I was…just with benefits."

He stood up from the chair. "So I must say, I think I have you to thank for all of this. I am in a debt of gratitude."

The last sentence was said half mockingly, half sincerely, but Angel rolled his eyes anyway and stood up.

"Well," he said. "You can start paying it back now."

-#-#-

Everything was hazy.

She put her hand to her face but all she could feel were bandages, swathes and swathes of them covering the right side of her face, with only a small eyehole so that she could see out of her right eye, but even that seemed foggy and white, as though it had snowed and the sky was cloudy on the same day.

She pushed herself up in the hospital bed, feeling weak and disorientated but not enough to know where she was. In a damned hospital! It seemed that something had gone very, very wrong. She scowled, but then winced in pain, as she felt the skin on the right of her face tighten and itch in protest. She tried a smile but then groaned in agony as her skin protested once again, feeling hot and stretched under the clean white bandages. It seemed as though neutral expressions were the way to go.

The door of her hospital room was suddenly opened and a plump, black nurse walked in, humming softly to herself. The nurse smiled when she saw she was awake.

"How're ya feelin'?"

The patient groaned.

"Okay, but there's something wrong with my face. The right side feels horrible, as though it's sunburnt." The nurse nodded and smiled soothingly at her.

"Oh, nothin' to worry yourself over dear." She finished fixing the bags and checked the flip chart on the side of the bed. "Anythin' I can get ya?"

She shook her head but then paused.

"Actually," she said. "I was wondering if you could find me a small mirror please?"

She didn't know what it was but something was horribly wrong with her face and though the nurse was keeping tight lipped about the whole thing she hadn't got to where she was today by not knowing when something wasn't quite right.

The nurse nodded once and then went out of the room, only to return five minutes later, a small hand mirror clasped in her hand, which she place don the small wooden cabinet next to her bed.

"There ya go. If ya need anythin' else just press the buzzer next to ya and someone will come."

She waited until the door was closed and then picked up the mirror in a trembling hand. She brought it up to her face, to eye level and admired her features (or what she could see of them anyway). One sharp grey eye stared back at her and her dark red hair shone in the luminescent lighting. Slowly she reached behind her head to undo the neat surgical bandages, slowly unwrapping them until, she could see what had happened.

Helena Daley, a proud, cunning and beautiful woman stared at her reflection. She stared at what was left of her face after the base had blown up.

The mirror shattered when it hit the floor, sliding out of her fingers as her grip slackened in shock.

Her mouth opened in a silent scream.

-#-#-

**I'm hoping to make it to the 100 reviews mark for this chapter. Help me make it happen? Pretty please?**

**Thanks to all of my reviewers!**

**PLEASE REVIEW THIS STORY! **

**Please continue to write your support, ideas and general comments, they really are appreciated. **

**Thanks to those people who did review this story, your efforts are appreciated.**

**Heidi:** Thanks for reviewing this story. I'm glad you like it, sorry it took so long to write.

**Jen:** Wow, thanks for all of your compliments. It's a pleasure to write for people like you.

**Sarah: **Thanks for all your comments! And all of your exclamation marks!lol.

**cenas-lil-hottie-**Yep, it was sad, and I hope you don't kill me, cos I've used a plot device which I really shouldn't have done and made him live again. Trouble was, if I left him dead, I seriously would have complicated my story and sadly I'm not _that_ good a writer.

**Lis:** Glad you liked the twist. Please don't kill me when you find out it wasn't actually real. Pretty please?

**Mickeyblueeyes:** See Xander's not as stupid as you think.Good thing she show'd them that vision, otherwise they'd all be dead.


	10. Within My Mind I Live Free

**Feedback**: Pretty please with a cherry on top! Feedback and criticism (but only constructive) is welcomed and appreciated.

**Disclaimer**: None of it's mine except Chuck and Lucille, Commissioner Newtown, Jonah, Ulrich, Doctor Muerte and Helena Daley. If it were, Angel wouldn't have left Buffy in the first place. This is therapy for me.

**Pairing**: B/A, minor use of other ships e.g. W/O, S/F  
**  
Summary**: AU. The whole gang are werewolves.

**Author's note: **Here's one of the final chapters in this story, hope you like it and don't forget to leave a review :)

-#-#-

Dr Muerte barely raised an eyebrow at seeing the soon-to-be master vampire walk into the waiting room where the Clan had gathered, led by Angel, and followed warily by Oz, Gunn and Wesley. Giles looked up from where he'd had his head in his hands and sniffed the air, then glared at Angel.

"He's dead," he stated.

"Yes," said Angel. "But he's the only chance Buffy's got." Giles nodded, and though he may not have liked the idea of a vampire being even in the same room as the woman he'd come to care for as a daughter, he would accept it if it could help her.

"Well, now you've talked about me as though I'm not present may we begin?" The vampire's eyes flashed their darkly beautiful, golden colour in irritation.

"Of course," said the doctor. "I'll need you Angel, Willow and Tara, is it?" She turned to the pale young woman, who was sitting shyly in a corner, clutching Doyle's hand. She shared a look with her mate but got up anyway.

"And of course, yourself," she said motioning at Ulrich. "If you'd like to follow me."

She led the four of them to the room where Buffy was, and quietly pushed open the door. Buffy looked pathetically small lying in the hospital bed, covers tucked around her. Her face was pale and her hair was scorched from the explosion. Angel's eyes moved towards her blanket-covered legs, knowing they were swathed in bandages, covering the inflamed tissue surrounding the broken bones. Feeling his beast rise, he barely managed to tamp down a growl, but knew from the look Ulrich shot him that the vampire could sense his rising anger.

"Now," said Doctor Muerte. "I need Tara and Willow to stand either side of Buffy and hold hands over her. Then I need Angel and Ulrich to each take one of Buffy's hands." The quartet sent curious glances over at the doctor but obeyed her instructions.

"Tara, Willow," she said, "I need you to cast a spell for me. Do you know the Sanctus Corpus spell?" Both witches nodded a little hesitantly. Tara spoke up.

"That spell is extremely hard and I…"

Doctor Muerte shook her head, dismissing any misgivings with a wave of her hand.

"You're both capable of doing it and with your combined powers things should go just fine. You know what to do. I have to leave now if the spell is to work properly." She smiled reassuringly at Tara's concerned face. "Don't worry. Have faith."

-#-#-

"_O spiritus sanctus, corpus sanctus, those who we invoke hear our plea._

_We seek entry to meet with the spirit who guards the body_

_From trespass great and who now holds judgement over the form_

_To shield from all harm. We seek entry._

_We seek entry to meet with the spirit who guards over the mind_

_From twisting perversion and who now protects the psyche_

_To guard from danger. We seek entry._

_Speak with those now whom we send._

_O spiritus sanctus, corpus sanctus, those who we invoke hear our plea_."

The witches' voices rang around the room and then there was only silence.

Angel cracked open an eye. Had it not worked?

Suddenly a bright ball of light seemed to rise up out of Buffy's still body and hover over her chest, pulsing with a warm, white glow. Then without warning it suddenly split and sunk into the two men's chests.

Angel was filled with sudden warmness for a second and then he blacked out.

-#-#-

When he woke up he was sitting in a large, white room. There were no doors or windows, so perhaps it was more accurately termed a white cell. Ulrich was still unconscious next to him and he roughly shook the vampire, who blinked lazily and then turned his head and looked at Angel.

"It worked then?" Angel shrugged.

"I think so. If it did then this should be Buffy's mind." He frowned at the white, bare room. "Or at least some part of it."

Ulrich stood up. "It's not really what I was expecting," he said, forehead creased. "I'd expected it to be more…I don't know, animated perhaps."

There was a small laugh from across the room. Angel's head whipped round so fast he thought he might have whiplash. Buffy was sitting Buddha style on a table that had materialised from nowhere. She was smiling and Angel thought he'd never seen anything more beautiful in his life. He made to move towards her.

"Buffy, I…"

She stopped laughing abruptly and raised her hands, her features twisting into one of anger. He found he couldn't move and from the corner of his eye he could see Ulrich was also similarly frozen in place.

"What are you doing here?" She demanded. "For what purpose do you come into my presence?"

Okay, so maybe it wasn't Buffy after all.

What had Willow said to them before they'd started? That it was Buffy's spirit they would be talking to. It seemed as though a person was split into three things. Mind, body and spirit. And when Buffy had been tortured and practically raped, her spirit had decided that to keep her body safe, it would also protect her mind by keeping her in a self-induced coma.

Ulrich spoke the words now to ask permission to speak to Buffy.

"We seek to meet with Buffy and bring her back to the world in which she sleeps," he said respectfully to her spirit. It smiled sadly and released the hold on the two men.

"You care for her greatly", she said. "I will let you speak with her."

Angel and Ulrich shared a look of relief, which died at her next words.

"But I warn you now, Buffy is much happier here, inside herself. Anything you see is created from her mind, memories and her emotions, and remember that if she does not want to see you then you will be ejected from this place."

There was another flash of light and Angel was momentarily blinded; when he could see again he found Ulrich was gone and that he was in the garden of the Hyperion. It was a beautiful sunny day and Angel found himself gazing at the other figure in the garden, who was sitting on a blanket in the shade of one of the willow trees they'd had planted that year.

"Buffy?" He called out gently. His wife turned her head and smiled at him.

"Angel," she greeted warmly. "Come and sit down."

She patted the space next to her and he walked over, noticing his shoes were missing and the grass was cool and tickling his feet. He placed himself next to her and reached out and touched her cheek with the back of hand, marvelling at how well she looked, how different compared to the body laying back at the hospital.

"Angel," she laughed. "You look as though you haven't seen me for months."

Angel smiled but it didn't reach his eyes and he moved his head closer to hers, capturing her lips and memorising the taste he'd been deprived of, darting his tongue out to dip into her mouth, savouring the sweetness of the kiss, and deepening it, crushing her mouth between his, as he wrapped his arms around her body, pulling her onto his lap.

"Eew, kisses! Mommy and Daddy are kissing, Uncle Spike!" Squealed a five year old Conner, as he stood in the entrance to the garden. Buffy drew back grinning and turned her head towards the little boy, who was now joined by an amused werewolf who grabbed the youngster and swung him up on his shoulders.

"Disgusting, isn't it squirt?" He said. "But I reckon we ought to leave 'em to it huh? That's just what grown-ups do." Conner wrinkled his nose.

"Is that what you and Auntie Faith do too?" He asked curiously.

Spike squirmed and the couple on the lawn laughed. He glared at them and turned to go inside, avoiding the child's question by ignoring it, knowing he would have already forgotten about the subject in ten minutes, when he found something more interesting to do. The duo disappeared inside but the werewolves' sharp hearing picked up Conner's petulant statement.

"I don't want kisses, girls are icky. I don't want to grow up!"

Angel smiled at his son's adamance and then turned back to Buffy who was gazing wistfully at the sky.

"It's nice here," she murmured and glanced at Angel, who was watching her concernedly. He laced his fingers with hers and gripped them tightly, knowing he had to convince her otherwise.

"Buffy love, you have to go back, I…"

But she'd disappeared and the scenery had changed again. He found himself lying on the beach, the sun beating down on him as he lay on a beach towel, watching his children eat their lunch in what little shade was provided by a large brolly. Buffy was rummaging around a large cooler, looking for something.

"Angel, where'd you put the…oh nope, it's okay I've found them," she said, triumphantly emerging with plastic cups and twisted the top on the bottle of chilled orange squash, which lay next to her.

There was a sudden cry from Dawn, who screwed her face up and started crying as Conner stuck his tongue out at his sister, and began innocently picking the crust off from around his bread.

"Mommy!" She wailed. "Conner's dropped my sandwich in the sand and he won't say sorry."

"Liar!" He yelled and dropped his bread on the sand before racing towards the sea. Dawn chased after him, waving her spade around in the air like a sword shouting her brother's name angrily as she tried to hit him.

"Dawn! Connor!" Yelled their mother but they ignored her and began to throw sand at each other. She sighed and turned to Angel who was smiling bemusedly.

"Can't we have one holiday where those two don't argue?"

He laughed and helped her pick up the discarded food and put it in the rubbish bag they'd brought with them and then back into the cool bag.

"They're siblings, what else do you expect?" Buffy smiled and then impulsively grabbed Angel's hand, pulling him towards the sea. His eyes widened and he tried to dig his heels into the soft sand.

"No way, forget it Buffy." She merely smirked and gave him a sharp tug, using her unnatural strength to help drag her unwilling mate towards the water.

"Stop being a baby," she mocked. "It's only a little bit of water."

"But my hair," he whined playfully. "It's going to get totally ruined."

"You're such a woman."

"I'm not."

"Are too."

"Not."

"Are."

"Not."

"Are…Angel put me down! No…don't even think about it…NO! Angel!"

But it was too late and he'd already dumped her in the salt water.

He hastily back peddled as his irate wife rose from the water like an avenging water goddess. The effect would have been better if it hadn't been spoiled by the seaweed clinging to Buffy's head and face. She parted the green strands like a curtain and glared at him, her eyes narrowed to slits.

"You are so gonna die mister!" She called, picking the plant off her hair and tossing it at him.

He nimbly dodged out of the way and began running over the relatively empty beach, glad they'd chosen to go to a parallel universe for their annual summer holiday; the only other people on the beach were an elderly pair of Spider demons and a mermaid, who was giving them a dirty look from where she lay sunning herself in the rock pools.

"Gotta catch me first!" He yelled back.

Connor and Dawn, who by this time had gotton past their grievances and had begun to build a sandcastle, were watching their parents in faint disgust.

"They're so embarrassing," muttered Connor. His sister nodded and patted a bit of wet sand onto the castle wall.

"Grown-ups," she shuddered and pressed a shell into the front of the castle. She paused and stood back a little to admire her handiwork. "It's pretty!" She cried, her mind already wondering onto another track. "Fairy castle!"

Connor rolled his eyes. "Is not! You're such a girl!"

Dawn stuck her tongue out at him. "You smell," she said and grabbed a handful of seaweed from by her feet and dangled it in front of him. Her twin's eyes widened and he shrieked and backed away. She giggled and waved it in front of him, laughing as he ran towards Angel and Buffy. She ran after him swinging the seaweed wildly.

"Conner's scared of the seaweed," she sang as he ran and hid behind Angel, who was pulling on his T-shirt. Their parents had finally tired themselves out it seemed and were now getting dressed again.

"Are we leaving?" Moaned Dawn.

"Sorry Dawnie," said her mother. "But if we're going to go before the tide comes in fully we need to go now."

"No," she stomped her foot and screwed her face up. "I don't wanna go!"

"Neither do I," said Buffy; but before Angel could say anything the world changed once again and he found himself back in the white room. Ulrich was glaring at him.

"What are you doing?" Asked the vampire crossly. "You're supposed to be bringing her back not playing 'lets-relive-the-memories'."

Angel rubbed his face frustratedly. "It's hard," he said trying to explain. "It's like it's real, and you forget anything about reality and this just being a memory. It's a struggle trying to remember what you were trying to convince her to do in the first place."

Ulrich nodded. "It's a defence mechanism of Buffy's mind, so that you forget that you came to convince her to leave. She's trying to protect herself."

Angel growled. "And where were you?"

Ulrich shrugged his shoulders, the gesture seeming out of place on the normally graceful vampire.

"I'm not present in the memories you've just relived. For myself to be present you need to get her to remember being held in the compound. Until then there's nothing I can do. It's up to you and Buffy now."

-#-#-

Back in the hospital waiting room, most of the pack had fallen asleep.

It had been seven hours since Angel, Ulrich, Tara and Willow had gone into Buffy's room and not once had they emerged. Exhausted by the events of the day the werewolves had succumbed to slumber reluctantly, the only ones still awake being Conner, Spike and Faith. Even Dawn had finally given in, dozing against her Uncle's shoulder. Those who were still up had clustered in one corner of the room, sprawled out on the floor, having shunned the hard, beige plastic chairs for the coolness of the tiled floor.

Faith was flipping idly through an outdated Hello magazine, lips curled in faint disgust at what some of the so-called 'celebrities' were wearing, knowing she would never part with her black leather trousers even if they weren't in vogue at the moment. Spike had filched a pack of cards from the children's ward and he and Conner were now playing Poker, betting with Spike's precious cigarettes. The beta werewolf was dying for a smoke but there being an unfortunate no smoking policy in the hospital, and with his reluctance to leave to go outside to light up, lest Buffy wake up and he wasn't there, he'd been unwillingly forced to go cold turkey.

Conner stretched his legs, trying to shake off the pins and needles that now plagued him. Putting down his hand he smirked triumphantly at Spike's curse of frustration and scooped up his pile of cigarettes, knowing he'd sell them back to Spike later, for a large profit of course.

Spike tossed his cards down in disgust. Three queens, an ace, and a seven and the kid had still beaten him with three kings. Though he suspected that when Conner had said he didn't know how to play he had been lying, he couldn't prove anything. It had started with 'beginners luck'. Now he thought it was more like 'cheater's knowledge.'

He was just about to demand that the kid roll up his sleeves when Doctor Muerte popped her head around the door. Spike searched for any hint on her features that would be able to tell him what sort of news they would be getting but her expression was blank. She could have been a good Vegas card player.

"Well?" He demanded anxiously. There was a pause and then the doctor broke into a smile.

"It's good news," she said. "She's awake."

-#-#-

**Thanks to all of my reviewers! Wow, I've gotton over the 100 reviews mark! Yippee! You guys are so GREAT! My aim is now to reach 150 reviews at least by the end :)**

**PLEASE REVIEW THIS STORY! **

**Please continue to write your support, ideas and general comments, they really are appreciated. **

**Thanks to those people who did review this story, your efforts are appreciated.**

**Regan:** Sorry about the long wait, here's your next update and thanks so much for reviewing!

**Cathy: **It's nice to hear from new people, hope you keep reading now that you've found it, there isn't much left but hopefully it's all good. lol.

**General Mac: **I liked your review. lol. Short and to the point. But thanks for doing it, cos I know then that one more person is reading what I write.

**Wackycavegirl: **Perhaps I didn't make this v. clear. I put in 'character death' so that you would think Xander was dead, but then I revealed in the next chapter that he was alive. It was just a ploy to help with the unexpected twist. Hope you aren't too confused. Sorry the update wasn't sooner. And you gave me two reviews for one chapter, though the last one was a well-deserved nag. Thanks ; )

**Lis: **Thank you for your lovely comment. Yeah I like Xander too much to kill him off and it wouldn't have added anything to the story except compound Buffy's grief.

**Ellie C: **You said that you hoped it didn't take this long for the next chapter to come out. Sorry! (Blushes sheepishly).

**Backlash: **No there isn't a prequel though I would gladly do one if anyone were interested in them. Review and tell me what you think.

**Mickeyblueeyes: **Yeah I understand what you say about Xander and I completelyagree. Something interesting with Ulrich will be happening and I'm glad you recognise Helena's intense need for retribution. Let's just say at the moment there are lots of different endings this story could have and I'm working through the possibilities as we speak. As you already know this story is ending soon, I'm not so sure about a sequel but I wouldn't mind doing prequels or something similar.

**Tina: **I agree that Buffy should kill the scientist but sadly that's not how it's going to play out. And what do you mean Angel should kill 'the vampire'? Ulrich is my baby- you can't kill him off! Besides he's got a rather interesting role to play in the last few chapters.

**Sam: **Thank you for your complimentary review. It may have been one word long but it made me feel really good. : )

**Stephanie: **Well someone fell for my plot twist. Thanks for that. lol. Glad you like it, keep reading and reviewing.

**Charmedslayers: **Thanks for saying that. You made me feel all happy inside.


	11. Fight To Die Another Day

**Feedback**: Pretty please with a cherry on top! Feedback and criticism (but only constructive) is welcomed and appreciated.

**Disclaimer**: None of it's mine except the storyline, Chuck and Lucille, Commissioner Newtown, Jonah, Ulrich, Doctor Muerte and Helena Daley. If it were, Angel wouldn't have left Buffy in the first place. This is therapy for me.

**Rating**: Pg - 13, for violence

**Pairing**: B/A, minor use of other ships e.g. W/O, S/F  
**  
Summary**: AU. The whole gang are werewolves.

-#-#-

It was awkward.

So awkward she sometimes felt like crying. They had no idea how to treat her. Or rather they did.

_Glass._

And though she ached to be treated the way that she'd been before it just wasn't working. They were uncomfortable around her, constantly treading on eggshells, avoiding talking completely about what had happened as though she would break down if they mentioned where she'd been and why.

She laughed bitterly to herself.

It seemed she was the only one who could confront what had happened and deal with it. The others had decided that ignoring the whole issue was the best way to handle everything. She sighed and ran her fingers through her hair, gazing out at the view from the roof of the hotel.

Things were so difficult now.

Every time she walked into a room the conversation died; she couldn't help but notice the way they watched her limp round the kitchen and then looked away when she tried to catch them. And Angel…

"Oh, Angel," she said, her voice resigned and angry.

The day she'd come home he'd put her in a spare guest room and then left, removing himself to _their_ room down the hall. And that was what hurt most of all. That her husband couldn't stand to be in the same room as her. Infact he'd been avoiding her all week and her heart ached. Yesterday at breakfast she'd been making toast and had heard his footsteps coming into the kitchen. They'd stopped at the doorway and before she'd had chance to turn round, a smile fixed to her face, he'd left.

Tears stung the back of her eyes. Sometimes she wished they'd left her in that place and then she wouldn't have to face the loneliness they'd imposed on her. She sniffed miserably and chastised herself for being so pathetic. The door leading up to the roof suddenly creaked and Faith peaked her head round.

"There's a party happenin' down here ya know…ya gonna join us some time?"

Buffy managed an unconvincing smile, but it didn't matter – even Faith couldn't meet her eyes and was looking at a point over Buffy's shoulder. She tried to make her voice perky and wondered what the point was.

"Sure, I'll be down in a minute." Faith left and the door slammed shut with loud bang.

So now they were throwing a party.

It was supposed to be for her, but Buffy knew it was an excuse to try to lift the tension that had slowly been building up. Tomorrow Angel was to formally ask Ethan if he still maintained his challenge claim. If he did the two would fight and the victor would hold the title of Clan chief. There was no doubt that in light of recent events Ethan would back down – Angel had proved himself a capable leader, and she doubted that Ethan would want the position anymore, not with the trouble it seemed to entail anyway.

But that wasn't the problem.

The problem was that she knew that some of them now saw her as unfit to be the alpha female; people like Kate. She'd been sniffing at Angel all week like a bitch in heat and even if Angel now hated her, he knew it was completely inappropriate for Kate to be doing that while she still held the position they coveted so much.

She chuckled humourlessly to herself.

So along with the formal challenge tomorrow she knew Kate would ask for a bitches fight, and then try and claw her to death to win the privilege of bedding her mate. Except he wouldn't be her mate anymore if someone other than herself won. And Kate in particular was determined to beat her.

Buffy frowned.

Perhaps she'd been wallowing in self-pity for long enough. Maybe it was time to show just who exactly was in charge here and win Angel back. She smoothed the dark, red silk dress down and stood, checking her hair and walked down back to the ballroom; a beautiful room in the hotel, full of dark wood, mirrors and candle light. She'd show them all that she wasn't a push over, that no-one, no-one ground her down and that…

She came to an abrupt stop outside the ballroom, her eyes widening as she took in the sight before her, and she choked back a sob.

He was with _her_.

Kate.

Dancing, arms wrapped around her waist as they waltzed slowly to the music, as though they fitted perfectly together like pieces of a puzzle, her head resting easily against Angel's chest as he pulled her close.

She wanted to throw up. No, no, no, this wasn't happening, Kate couldn't have sunk her claws in so fast…but the truth was staring her in the face as they spun gently round the room.

Her face, a picture of abject misery she backed away in horror as Kate looked up, her eyes dancing, a smirk twisting the edges of her lips as she clung tighter to Angel who was seemingly oblivious to Buffy's presence or even existence. Gathering together all that she had left of her wounded pride like a cloak she wrapped herself up in self-loathing and fled upstairs.

Upstairs where the rooms were silent.

Where there were no dancing figures whirling about gracefully.

Where all was quiet and still.

Where Buffy finally broke down and sobbed.

-#-#-

It felt like an age, but was probably in reality perhaps five minutes. She had finally stopped crying, and her body now seemed shrivelled up, as though she'd poured forth all of her emotions and now had none left.

Nothing left to give.

Dry like the shell of a mummy, brittle as scorched bones she mechanically got up and fetched a small suitcase from out of a wardrobe. It was new and utterly characterless and she wondered how something so impersonal could hold all of her most treasured possessions. She folded clothes up in a sort of daze, neatly sorting them into piles and placing them gently in the suitcase, followed by her jewellery and makeup.

Trancelike she walked down the corridor towards _their _room, opening the door and stepping inside, ignoring the blast of familiar smells that assaulted her. The scent of Angel, of sleep, of _them_, mated, bodies entwined together still clung to this room, clinging like a faint summer fragrance. She touched the pillows lightly, fingertips trailing across the silky blue sheets in remembrance of happier times spent in this bed…

Leaving it abruptly as though burned, she picked up several photos. The twins. Xander fooling around. The gang on Christmas day. Her mother. Giles and Jenny smiling sweetly at the camera. She put them back down softly, gazing at them mournfully. She straightened and twisted her claddagh ring, unsure even now if she should, could, keep it. Shaking her head, knowing it would be an unnecessary reminder of the pain she felt, she resolutely slipped it off, leaving it on the dresser table. She turned to hurry back to her room, to leave before her resolve crumbled and only then noticed _him_, leaning against the door, his eyes narrowed, whole body trembling in anger.

"What is this?" He said dangerously softly, slinging her half filled suitcase onto their bed.

She jumped as it landed on the bed, its contents spilling out, and she glanced nervously at him and at the closed door he was leaning against.

No escape.

Suddenly Angel's eyes found the claddagh on the table, his eyes flitting to her empty fingers twisting in front of her and suddenly he had moved in an eye blink, invading her personal space, so that she had to back up against the hard wall.

"Buffy." She would not make eye contact. She would not. She would…

"Look at me." Her eyes, traitors, moved up to meet his hard steely ones, a faint glimmer of gold telling her his beast would likely be rearing his head tonight.

She did not want to have this conversation. She wanted to get out now. And yet she didn't move, frozen to her spot.

"What do you think you're doing? Where do you think you're going?"

"I…"

She wanted to say something, anything, but the words were dying in her throat and she needed to go, damn it she was not going to have this conversation. She pushed him hard; so hard that he fell onto the bed and ran for the door. She almost reached it, but found that he'd already gotton there before her, slamming it closed before she could open it more than a crack. She was pushed up against the door, his arms either side of her head and he growled fiercely.

"You're not running now, Buffy, you're telling me what is going on or so help me I will make you, because I will not lose you again, do you understand?"

Feeling all of her anger swiftly rising to the surface, she allowed her eyes to glow their familiar golden colour.

"No, you listen Angel," she hissed. "I've had just about enough of being ignored, treated like I'm some fragile little thing that's gonna break. And then tonight seeing you practically mate with that tramp on the ball room floor! If you think I'm gonna stick around to see you lower yourself to her then you are sadly in need of a wake up call cos there is no way that I'm staying here." She snorted. "You think I enjoy being humiliated like that?"

"I was trying to give you time to adjust," he bit out angrily.

"By isolating me? I woke up every day in a bed which wasn't ours, thinking my own husband now found me so repulsive he couldn't even be in the same room as me anymore!"

"I was trying to help you! Dammit Buffy, when you were in hospital you looked so fragile just lying there…"

"And now you think I'm still in hospital, treating me like I'm a porcelain doll!" She started to move but Angel gripped her arms tightly but gently, like he was holding a very precious vase.

"Angel. Move."

"If you think I'm letting you go, you've got another thing coming."

"Now."

"What about the kids, you were just going to leave without even saying goodbye?"

She closed her eyes and sighed. "That wasn't fair, Angel."

"No," he growled. "It's perfectly fair, you were just going to dump them and move on, was that it? Find someone else and become their sl…"

She wrenched her arm out of his hold and slapped him, the crack echoing across the room like gunshot, his head snapping back with the force.

"How dare you!"

"So that's the way you wanna play it," he said, his eyes flashing darkly, teeth elongating. "Fine we'll do it your way."

Without any warning he threw her onto the bed; landing on her suitcase she flipped over and shifted too, her lips pulled back in a snarl, revealing sharp white teeth.

'Screw you Angel.' Her voice reverberated in his head, stinging in it's intensity. He smirked.

'Later my love – though if I had known this was about you not getting any we could have sorted this out ages ago.'

Furious, she leapt at him, but he dodged to the left, his body knocking over the dressing table chair as he moved to escape her wrath.

'What is this Angel? Find you get bored of treating me like a pretty ornament and now you wanna knock me around? Can we say psycho?'

She felt Angel chuckle in her mind and her hackles rose.

'I think, love, that you were the one to attack me first. I call it self-defence.'

She smirked. 'If you call fighting me self-defence then Ethan will slaughter you tomorrow.'

Angel's smile slipped a little. 'He wouldn't dare challenge me.'

It was Buffy's turn to laugh. 'He would if I decided to support him…say, oh I don't know, become his mate and alpha female.' Her mocking laughter was causing Angel's blood to boil. 'After all I could do with a change of bed partner, I mean honey, you're just not doing it for me anymore – I think I need a wolf, not a puppy.'

'And we're back to the sex.'

Buffy mentally pouted, drawing on her inner bitch to hurt Angel as much as he had hurt her.

'Surely you realised that I was only keeping you 'round till I found some one better?'

She gasped mockingly as she received silence from him. 'Aw, didn't you know that I wasn't really enjoying it?'

'Buffy.' The word was a command to shut up, but she was enjoying herself far too much to listen to him, determined to bruise his male ego.

'I mean sure, you were alright, but haven't you noticed that Ethan is that much…'

'Don't say another word_.'_

She licked her lips deliberately and savoured the last word. '…bigger.'

Incensed he jumped, Buffy leaping at the same time, so that they both met in mid air over the bed, claws digging into sleek fur and they landed, the suitcase kicked out of the way causing it to fall to the floor. They scrambled for dominance, one on top, then the other, bedclothes ripping as the two animals fought, fangs and claws ruining silk sheets. A pillow punctured and a mass of downy feathers flew into the air, floating around like a massive white snowstorm.

She refused to concede to him, hurt over what he'd done and he in turn demanded complete submission, livid over what she'd said. There was a blur as they battled; each one getting as many blows in as they could, frustration marking each movement.

Finally, panting she yielded, baring her throat in reluctant surrender.

'Bastard,' she breathed angrily.

Angel said nothing but nuzzled her neck and accepted her hesitant compliance, biting down, marking her as he had done all those years ago in Sunnydale. In unspoken agreement they changed back to human form, limbs tangled together in the now ruined bed, Buffy pinned underneath him, blonde hair splayed out, green eyes hard.

"You know you haven't won," she bit out.

"Oh, I have beloved," he said, and though his tone was gentle, his eyes were blazing with fire. "You are my mate, mine, and I will never let you go, and Ethan will never touch or taste you, unless you both fear for your lives."

"But you'll take Kate as what, your whore on the side?"

Angel sighed and rolled onto his back, gazing up at the ceiling. Buffy moved onto her side, propping her head up with her fist, drumming her fingers against torn sheets.

"You know Kate means nothing to me – she's only trying to get under your skin – she only wants to secure in her mind that tomorrow she will have a chance of beating you in the fight. The more she upsets you the easier it is for her."

He rolled to face her now and traced the shape of her face with the tips of his fingers. "When I thought I'd lost you…"

He gently kissed her nose, her cheeks, butterfly kisses down her jaw to finally capture her mouth, brushing his lips against hers. He pulled away and frowned.

"Don't ever do that to me again, love."

He paused and reached behind him with remarkable accuracy to pick up the claddagh ring, silver glinting in the dim light. He reached for her left hand, and she sat up, allowing him to take it, small slender fingers caught in his large palm. He slipped it on, sealing it with a kiss to her ring finger.

He looked up, and her eyes were slightly glassy, big green orbs starting to fill with tears.

"Buffy, please don't cry, I hate it when you cry." She collapsed into his arms, shaking, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck, face buried into his chest.

"I thought you didn't love me anymore, I thought, I thought…"

"Ssh, love, it's going to be alright." He kissed the top of her head, holding her in his arms until she fell asleep.

-#-#-

Downstairs the party was coming to an end, but the fighting had only just begun.

"Well, where the hell has he gone?" Asked Kate, her eyes boring into Faith's, who was slouched casually on a chair, dangling a wine glass from one hand, and a cigarette from the other.

"How should I know, K, I'm not his keeper." She wiggled her eyebrows. "He's probably gone to do the dirty with B."

She raised her glass in a mock salute. "To Angel and Buffy, may you always be able to make up with a good, hard, screw." There was a chorus of disgust from Conner and Dawn, but Faith merely smirked.

"Sorry kiddies, but you shoulda been in bed long ago, so it's your own fault."

She took a drag from her cigarette and raised an eyebrow at Kate, who looked ready to blow. Her hands curled into fists at her side she marched over to Faith and hauled her up by her right arm, fingers bruising into her skin.

"Listen, in that fight tomorrow I'm going to wipe the floor with Buffy's ass and Angel _will_ be mine." Kate let go of her arms and stepped away, a triumphant look on her face. "You'll see."

Faith merely smiled and blew out the smoke into Kate's face. Narrowing her eyes she stormed off the ballroom floor, slamming the doors behind her, making Tara jump. Doyle wrapped a comforting arm round her and she smiled gently at him.

"Wow," said Faith. "What a bitch." Tara tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and shook her head.

"She's ambitious, and since she k-knows she won't be g-getting anywhere with Ethan, she wants a quick way to the t-top."

Giles took off his glasses and wiped them, a comforting action – he didn't actually need them at all, werewolves had brilliant eyesight, but he still wore them out of sentimental value, a reminder of his humanity.

"Tomorrow will not be a pleasant day, I fear."

Xander laughed humourlessly.

"And the nomination for the most obvious statement of the year goes to G-Man."

Giles frowned. "How many times do I have to tell you, Alexander, not to call me that."

Xander shrugged. "Till I get bored of calling you it."

Willow sighed. "Guys we're getting off topic. Is there anything we can do to stop Kate from competing?"

Giles shook his head. "The laws are very clear Willow, if she calls for it then Kate can instigate a Bitches match, and I doubt that she will be the only one who joins in." He shot a discreet glance over at Gwen, who was talking with Penn and Gunn in a corner.

"Great," said Xander sarcastically. "So we're gonna have loads of fun."

-#-#-

**So the next instalment is the last chapter folks, though if it's needed there might possibly be an epilogue.**

**Lots of love**

**emerald sorceress.**


	12. The Bitch is Back

**Feedback**: Pretty please with a cherry on top! Feedback and criticism (but only constructive) is welcomed and appreciated.

**Disclaimer**: None of it's mine except the storyline, Chuck and Lucille, Commissioner Newtown, Jonah, Ulrich, Doctor Muerte and Helena Daley. If it were, Angel wouldn't have left Buffy in the first place. This is therapy for me.

**Rating**:T, for violence

**Pairing**: B/A, minor use of other ships e.g. W/O, S/F  
**  
Summary**: AU. The whole gang are werewolves.

**The last chapter – finally here, I know many of you have despaired that this story should ever be finished but now it has come to an end. ****My thanks to all my wonderful reviewers and to everyone who read this story and enjoyed it. This last chapter is dedicated to you all.**

-#-#-

Helena Daley walked out of the most skilled plastic surgery she could find in L.A, (which wasn't hard because hey, this was meant to be the land of the beautiful people and everyone needs help now and then) and unlocked her car door. She slid into the soft leather seat with a sigh of contentment.

She fished around in her bag for a compact, pulling it out from under her purse and keys and flicking it open to admire her newly reconstructed face. She gingerly touched the right side of her face, which felt strange and new under her fingertips and swept her fingers over the smooth skin that now lay over what had only a few weeks ago been a nonexistent cheek.

Her nose was once again all there and not the caved in mess it had been, and the surgeon had done excellent work with her lips - she now had a bigger, better pout than she could have managed before the explosion- and her chin was once again in its rightful place.

Applying a dab of lip-gloss she pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose and fluffed the silky strands of red hair that made up the wig she was wearing. It was indistinguishable from what her real hair had once been like, and until her own stubble regrew to the length it had been on her right side she would be wearing the wig.

Turning on the engine she pulled out and onto the road, heading onto the freeway and back to her plans for revenge. Oh yes, there was no way she was going to let any hostile get the better of her –she wasn't her Aunt Maggie to be forgotten about and all knowledge of existence denied when everything went pear-shaped. Oh no, she was going to come out of this on top, and soon everyone was going to know it had been she who had created the world's first race of super soldiers.

And if America and its President refused to acknowledge that it had been her work then she would just take her business else where. She hadn't been stupid enough to trust Commissioner Newtown and had stored an extra batch of the soldier solution elsewhere, which needed her encrypted key code, handprint and eye scan to open. She could just take it and run she thought, sell it to the highest bidder and watch as the world fell apart. She grinned and imagined her name printed on all the military, scientific and medical journals in the world. She would be a phenomenon.

But business always came before pleasure, and so she watched for the next turning off of the freeway, to find her last few remaining 'business associates' and commandeer their services.

-#-#-

The tension was thick in the air in the crowded gym where the fight was to take place, as the packs assembled into a circle which would completely surround the combatants. Giles had volunteered to referee as the Pack Elder and no-one had objected; knowing his love for Buffy would never conflict with his duty towards the Clan. He would be a fair judge.

The buzz of the fight had everyone talking, and as everyone gossiped amongst themselves there was the sound of feet coming down the stairs. Heads turned to watch as Buffy came in with Angel, their fingers entwined and Buffy looking happier than she had in weeks. The circle parted to make room for them and Giles raised his hands for silence, which was duly granted and an anticipatory hush fell.

"I call for the Clan Chief to step forward and claim his right," called Giles, his voice echoing round the room.

Angel let go of Buffy's hand and stepped into the middle of the circle, his white linen shirt and black leather trousers covering his body but leaving nothing to the imagination. He stood, his fingers splayed slightly, head tall and shoulders straight, the muscles in his back rippling as in an instant he knelt in front of Giles before once again standing upright. It was quick enough that any human would only have seen a faint blur of motion as the air around him shifted. As he stood once again, after performing the ritual obeisance before the Elder, in that moment he looked every inch a formidable leader. Giles nodded his head in recognition of the mark of respect and motioned for Angel to speak.

"I, Angel, claim the right of Clan Chief and defy all those who dare to contest this to step forward and acknowledge their claim as Challenger."

Their was a sudden deep silence as everyone looked at Ethan, waiting and wondering what he would do – after all it had been he who had instigated the moving of the meeting forward, for the reason of taking the title from Angel. But after seeing how Angel had acted when Buffy had been taken, how he had led not only his own pack but also the clan into rescuing his mate, Ethan knew in his heart (which granted, wasn't very big or held much room for feelings) that Angel was and would always make a better leader than he would. He silently bared his throat towards Angel in respectful decline and recognition that Angel was Alpha. Angel smirked, his eyes flashing golden as his beast accepted that Ethan would no longer be a threat. Giles spoke once more.

"Since no challengers have stepped forward, we therefore acknowledge Angel as Clan Chief." He pressed his palms together and bowed. "May the Moon Mother bless you and guide you."

With the formalities over and done with, Angel melted once again back into the circle next to Buffy who smiled and squeezed his hand. Now it would be her turn and the real fun would soon begin.

"I call for the Clan Alpha female to step forward and claim her right."

Buffy took her cue and stepped into the circle and faced Giles, who smiled at her. She too followed the obligatory rituals and knelt but instead of standing up afterwards, she arched her back and flipped her legs over her head, her fingers barely grazing the floor to help lift her backwards. She landed, one leg sweeping out behind her, toes pointed, graceful as a ballet dancer.

"I, Buffy, claim the right of Clan Alpha female and defy all those who dare to contest this to step forward and acknowledge their claim as Challenger."

There was a pregnant pause and Kate stepped forward, her arms crossed and an eyebrow raised, clearly not impressed by the showy little piece that Buffy had put in. After a moment Gwen stepped forward too, though she was clearly not as eager to fight Buffy as Kate was. Buffy suspected that Kate was forcing her to fight, so that she would have to concentrate on more than one opponent. It wasn't cheating as such, but it was pretty underhand, and as Gwen was a decent fighter it would make the match all the more interesting. Interesting but not difficult. Buffy's eyes flashed golden as her beast duly noted her opponents; she refused to put them under 'threat' as her beast had little tolerance for anyone who thought themselves her fighting equal.

"Who challenges the claim?"

"I do," said Kate cockily, followed by Gwen's calm, if a little resigned assertion.

Giles nodded, "A bitches match has been declared. All participants have two minutes to prepare themselves."

The three werewolves nodded and left the circle to change. Buffy stripped off her jumper and jeans, changing into black linen shorts which gave more flexibility and a sports bra, pinning her hair up as she went. The fewer clothes one had on the easier it was to move, and there was less chance of anything getting ripped or caught. It also meant that your opponent had nothing to hold onto and it had been tradition since Roman times that all challenger matches had be fought naked with the combatants greased with oil, so that there was simply no handholds at all. When World War Two had hit, oil had become rationed and for practical purposes the rules were changed so that clothing, albeit very little, was allowed.

Buffy headed into the circle, pausing as Angel whispered in her ear, causing her to smirk. She kissed him once and then reached the centre, where Giles stood with Gwen and Kate who was frowning at the little display of affection that Angel had dared to show to her. Gwen simply rolled her eyes and offered Buffy a smile, who smiled back, noting that Gwen was dressed in dark blue shorts and a black sports bra, her long dark hair held back in a bun so that she would be able to see properly.

Kate was dressed in cream and Buffy was thankful the rules were changed so that combatants had to wear clothing that was coloured so that it was still able to be seen when someone was partly transformed, i.e. no-one was allowed to wear red or any colour that could not be seen in a wolf's spectrum. Therefore only shades of yellow, blue, black and white were allowed. It also meant that remembering a person's colour meant you knew who you were attacking without actually having to think. The beast could just take over.

Giles spoke, "The bitches match is about to begin. I call First Blood Drawn and Change up to Third Transformation. Anyone who breaks these rules is automatically disqualified from the proceedings. Are we agreed?"

Buffy nodded her head as did the other two women and as she moved to allow Giles past Gwen moved next to her, murmuring just low enough for her to hear.

"Just because I don't want to have your title, doesn't mean I won't make you earn it."

Buffy smirked. "I expected nothing less."

"Good."

Taking up a position on the floor, she eyed Kate warily. The werewolf wasn't good with her feet, but she was excellent with her hands and when she reached Second Transformation she would have razor sharp claws on her fingers and toes - if they caused even the slightest scratch it could bleed and would be classed as First Blood. She would need to watch where her limbs were going.

Gwen on the other hand would keep herself low to the floor and use her powerful legs, but she also had a wickedly sharp bite and Buffy didn't fancy getting anywhere near her teeth to find out how much damage they could cause.

Giles was now standing as part of the circle, which was easier than standing in the middle and having to dodge out of the way. He raised his hand, and Buffy caught the motion out of the corner of her eye. When his hand dropped the fight would begin. Tense seconds past as she waited for the slightest hint of it dropping and her muscles strained, waiting…waiting…

Suddenly his hand fell and Kate leaped into the air, catching Buffy slightly by surprise, but not enough that she couldn't nimbly dodge her and kick upwards, hitting Kate in the stomach and causing her to land awkwardly on her wrist. She growled, but Buffy had no time to pay attention to her as Gwen had swept her leg out low, causing Buffy to flip backwards onto her hand, and kick out with her leg towards Gwen's jaw.

Unfortunately Gwen dodged back and her foot met thin air. Aware that she had now put herself in an awkward position, with an opponent behind her and in front, she danced on the balls of her feet, waiting for Kate to attack her from behind, but keeping her eyes on a wary Gwen. She felt the air shift as Kate leapt and then whirled round, grabbing her wrist and flinging her over her head, hearing the satisfying snap as it broke and Kate's growl of pain. Buffy shrugged and concentrated on an amused Gwen. It wasn't her fault that a broken wrist wouldn't draw blood, unless it was a compound fracture. Besides, with her advanced healing it would only take 10 minutes for the bone to knit back together.

Gwen cartwheeled forward, her longs legs splayed into a scissor kick which caught Buffy's chin, and would have sent her head snapping back if she hadn't used the momentum to flip backwards and land gracefully, before Gwen started to circle her again, her fangs elongating as they orbited around each other. Gwen went for the attack, literally, and barrelled into her, knocking them both to the floor.

Buffy used her elbow to knock into Gwen's temple who hastily rolled off her, but not before she managed to rake her elongating claws down Gwen's cheek.

"First Blood," called Giles and Gwen wiped at the blood, smearing it across her face and wiping it on her shorts.

"Be glad that ain't gonna scar my face," she said and Buffy laughed.

"Nah, wouldn't wanna mess up those pretty features of yours would we?"

"You just got lucky," muttered Gwen. "Two more seconds and I'd have had you."

"Yeah well," said Buffy as she turned to face a murderous Kate. "We all knew who was gonna win in the end."

Gwen chuckled and stepped to the side of the circle to change back into her more normal clothes. "Anytime you wanna have a rematch, give me a call."

Buffy focused back to the problem at hand. Kate's eyes flashed golden and Buffy smirked. The angrier she got, the more mistakes it was likely she would make. Time for a bit of old fashioned witty repartee. Oh boy, how she missed good 'ole Sunnydale fights, where if the vamps knew what was good for them they bantered back.

"Come on Kate, is that all you've got?" Said Buffy, who decided she couldn't even be bothered to pretend that Kate was a worthy adversary and casually folded her arms.

"I've barely worked up a sweat, or a racing heart beat or…anything in fact." Buffy smirked as Kate's expression grew darker and darker.

"You know what? I think the look on your face has got more chance of killing me than you have." She laughed. "Poor thing, you really thought you had a chance didn't you?"

With a scream of rage that sounded more animal than human, Kate launched herself at Buffy, who rolled to the side, swinging her leg out as she did so, catching Kate's legs and causing her to fall. But her rage had given her new strength and she leapt back up, before Buffy could draw blood and whipped around, striking out with her fists and sending a blow to her rival's head. Buffy staggered slightly and Kate pressed her advantage, kicking her legs out from underneath her and she fell, her head smacking off the wooden floor.

Seemingly stunned, she lay looking up at Kate, who smirked in triumph.

"And so Buffy's glorious reign comes to an end, what a pity," she sighed and tapped her chin as if in thought. "Shame you had to lose in such an embarrassing way."

Buffy raised an eyebrow. "You know Kate, you've really gotta learn when someone is really injured and when they're just faking."

She sat up before Kate could move and sank her claws into Kate's thigh, before ripping them out, watching as the blood began to pour out of the open wound.

"Otherwise, you could get seriously hurt."

She smirked and watched as Kate fell back to the floor, her expression one of anger and disbelief.

"First Blood," called Giles triumphantly, reaching a hand down to help Buffy off the floor. "All challengers have been defeated. I declare Buffy as the champion of the bitches match. We therefore acknowledge Buffy as Clan Alpha Female." He smiled and once more pressed his palms together before bowing. "May the Moon Mother bless you and guide you."

The whole room erupted in cheers as Buffy was swept up in a rush of hugs and congratulations, licks and kisses as everyone tried to touch their Alpha all at once. She was just hugging Doyle, when she felt Angel's arms around her and his voice whisper in her ear.

"Well done, Beloved." She smirked and without turning murmured low enough so that only they could hear what she was saying.

"Did you ever doubt me?"

"Never." She smiled softly as he kissed her neck.

"This is where you belong –here with me, with us."

"I know," she said, laughing as Xander tried to hit on Gwen and failed miserably. "It just took me a little while –and kicking Kate's ass - to figure that out."

-#-#-

_Two weeks later…_

Night had fallen, but still Helena watched from the building opposite the hotel.

Peering through her binoculars for any sign of movement within the hotel lobby, she spotted her chance as a red headed woman walked down the stairs and across the polished marbled floor towards the doors, accompanied by a scruffy young man with bright blue hair and a guitar slung across his back. She put the binoculars down and looked though the sight of the specially made tranquiliser gun she had positioned on the roof of the abandoned building.

Damn it, she thought, they'd stopped walking and were talking to a teenage girl in the middle of the lobby. She needed them outside, on the pavement where they were easy targets. She'd leaned on a few of her 'associates', those who owed her favours and had finally found what she was looking for. They worked in the same way that tranquilisers did, except that these contained a poison specially commissioned by her, which left no trace in the blood stream and to which there was no antidote. Sure, the tranquiliser dart would still be there, but they had no way of tracing it back to her and the hostiles couldn't stay cooped up in the hotel forever. Sooner or later they had to come out, and when they did she would be waiting for them.

She had been up here for the past week, noting their routines, who were werewolves, if any humans were present or went into the hotel and how many hostiles there were exactly present. Tonight was her first night up here with the gun though, the first night which she would finally shoot one of them and have some sort of revenge. She would get each and every last one of them if it was the last thing she did.

She never felt the vampire next to her until he spoke.

"Well Madame, we meet again."

Helena's face went white with fear as she recognised the creature, the one with the accusing, dark navy eyes which sometimes haunted her nightmares.

"Hostile 279." She was surprised her voice didn't shake, but Ulrich could smell her fear and hear her heart pounding in his ears.

"I'm afraid I cannot possibly allow you to harm my, well I would call them friends, but then they do have a tendency to dislike me, especially the dark broody one, so let's call them acquaintances. I suggest you give me the gun and then we can forget about this nasty little episode, can't we?"

Helena nodded dumbly and passed it over, her fingers trembling ever so slightly. He broke it in one swift, easy motion and dropped the pieces over the side of the roof onto the sidewalk.

"Now, there we go, that was easy wasn't it?"

Helena watched as her carefully orchestrated plan fell apart before her eyes, but all she could care about at that moment was one thing. "You're not going to kill me?" She said, incredulously.

Ulrich frowned at her. "I don't believe that violence solves everything."

Helena let out a sigh of relief and allowed herself to relax ever so slightly. That was her big mistake. Before she could utter another word, he reached over and twisted her head, snapping her neck as easily as he had broken the gun.

"Then again, it does solve somethings." He smiled and picked up the dead woman's hands, muttering to himself.

"Now, Luke has seen the keycode number, but he tells me I need one of your hands and one of your eyes to get that extra batch of soldier solution you've got tucked away somewhere." He reached into his coat pocket and produced a serrated saw.

"Funny, he never said whether we needed left or right." He shrugged. "Guess I'll take both."

-#-#-

**Well that's it folks, that is the end of Werewolves of L.A .You have all been so wonderful, it's been a pleasure writing for you.**

**For the final time I ask you, please read and review! **

**P.S - The Prequel to this Story is called Sunnydale Beginnings. If you're interested in finding out how the pack started and how Buffy joined, it's a definate must to read!**


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